The male toiletries market continues to decline, with value sales down 1.4% to £887.1m and volume sales down 0.8%.

The popularity of beards continues to have the greatest impact on the market, with razor blades and shaving soaps suffering the most, losing shoppers year on year. As beard products such as oils become more mainstream, we expect this to have an impact on consumers’ regimes and support the grooming market recovery. 

Skincare’s growth has come through shoppers buying larger baskets and growth of branded products (up 8.1%), in part by brands such as Bulldog.

Shower products have been boosted by higher pack prices, while deodorants are being held up by penetration gains.

Shampoo has seen the highest value growth, up 12.5% backed by increases in penetration and pack prices. This is likely due to inflation and premiumisation of specific sectors such as styling, bath & shower and haircare in the wider toiletries market.

Carlota Rosa Delgado, Kantar Worldpanel

Source: Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 22 April 2018

The big shaving brands are suffering due to the rise of the beard trend and increase in flexible working. This has resulted in a consistent decline for the category as men shave less frequently. Sales are also leaving the standard grocery channels as subscription services get ever more popular.

The two players to buck the decline this year are Wilkinson Sword and Bulldog. Wilkinson is seeing its products return to stores at lower prices, which has been effective in recovering some of the sales lost last year. 

Bulldog’s entry to the male shave prep market has been marked by higher prices than the incumbent brands, with a premium feel that has attracted buyers. Beard maintenance products are allowing Bulldog to find growth in a sector that is struggling to accommodate the change in men’s shaving habits.

Other small brands are seeing success as they bring a novelty to a sector that has typically been dominated by large players. 

Some brands have seen an opportunity to carve out a sector for themselves, with Nivea Men launching a new Body Shaving range.

Ben Hanson, Nielsen

Source: Nielsen 52 w/e 19 May 2018

Overall advertising spend may have dipped for the male grooming sector, but that hasn't stopped brands coming up with some memorable campaigns.

Gillette launched a tie-up with Warner Bros' Justice League back in October. The tongue-in-cheek 'The Best a Superhero Can Get' ad showed the Gillette team developing tough grooming gear that could withstand the demands of the on-screen titans.

Not to be outdone, Nivea Men also gained attention for its Body Shaving range ads in spring. The ads featured footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain cutting himself while shaving his chest (ouch) but recovering his technique thanks to Nivea products.