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Focus On: Personal Care, Beauty, Suncare by Megan Tatum 

Download the synopsis here

Publishing: 3 April 2021

Advertising deadline: 19 March

Submissions deadline: 12 March

The Story

Can the beauty sector make up for last year? The pandemic wiped £182.8m off the face of cosmetics alone with some of the biggest brands hardest hit. Other subcategories, including deodorant and mouthwash, also fell as less-fresh Brits worked and socialised online. But with restrictions easing and personal care services set to reopen in April, what opportunities are there for brands and retailers to recover or has the pandemic wiped the shine off beauty routines?

Key Themes

Lifestyle and occasions: Even before Covid hit, the category was suffering from a gradual shift towards homeworking. Now that working from home is a permanent fixture for millions of Brits, how are brands retaining and winning back customers? Last year US cosmetics giant Coty bagged a 20% stake in Kim Kardashian West’s KKW Beauty – are celebrity partnerships going to be more prevalent going forward?

Hair: DIY hair colourants was the fastest growing subcategory last year with value sales up 9.5%. How can retailers highlight the sector’s value and retain shoppers or are they resigned to part ways as soon as hair salons reopen? What hair product claims are making waves and why?

Skincare: Skincare has been another winner during the pandemic, as consumers’ routines turned to toners and moisturisers. What opportunities does this present for brands and retailers? And with summer on the way, how are suncare brands positioning their lines when overseas travel is still up in the air?

Online versus in-store: While Ocado enjoyed category sales uplift of 25%, the UK high street suffered. However the mults’ share grew, with Tesco trumping Boots for toiletries. How has the dynamic between online and physical retail played out and what’s in store for the coming months?

4 x innovations: We identify four new product ranges that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before including 100 words on each, including launch date, RSP, and a hi-res picture of each

Data: This feature will also include Kantar/Nielsen commentary to explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of the relevant subcategories and key brands.

 

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