Get ’em when they’re young. That’s the philosophy of oral care brands keen to improve kids’ dental health. Take Colgate, which in March teamed up with the government on the Supervised Toothbrushing Scheme for nurseries and primary schools. The brand vowed to donate more than 23 million toothbrushes and toothpastes.
Then there’s Aquafresh, which partnered with Tesco in September to teach schoolchildren how to look after their teeth. “It’s especially important that children develop these habits from a young age,” says Michael Durkin, GB sales director at Aquafresh owner Haleon. He points to 41% of kids “missing one or more days of school due to oral hygiene concerns or treatment”.
Ordo is also cognisant of the issue. In August, it called for an end to the 20% VAT on children’s oral care products. The following month, it added Sonic Edge, its most affordable electric toothbrush at £14.99, aimed at kids and young adults. It’s since expanded its Squishmallows range for children – which bagged a gold medal at The Grocer New Product & Packaging Awards in November
The DTC brand is flying: unit sales are up 89.3% in grocery. “Overall, 2025 has been an exceptional year for Ordo,” says founder & CEO Barty Walsh. “We’ve maintained our momentum as one of the UK’s fastest-growing oral care brands.”
Other challengers are making strides, too. Take Pärla. Its pack sales are up 5% – driven by its commitment to no plastic, says co-founder Simon Chard. “We’ve shown that beautifully designed, plastic-free oral care can win in the mainstream.”
Also highlighting its green credentials is Waken. It features up to 30% recycled content in its packaging and uses only natural ingredients. “Ingredient transparency, whitening performance and sustainability continue to define category trends,” says co-founder Simon Duffy. However, Waken’s core mouthwashes have seen value dip 2.1%.
Mouthwash leader Listerine has also lost value – albeit by just 0.3% due to lower prices. Units are up 0.6% after the summer’s ‘Wash Your Mouth’ push.
Top Launch 2025
Refillable toothpaste dispenser | Mighty
Mighty debuted in June, claiming a category first for its refillable toothpaste dispenser and plastic-free refills. Available from Mighty’s website, the dispenser (£9) is available in Coral, Minty Blue and Mighty Blue variants – all featuring post-consumer recycled plastic. They’re “designed to look good on any bathroom counter”, says the brand. Refills of English Mint Toothpaste come in a bundle of 3x50ml (£18) and promise “active ingredients that protect and support your oral microbiome”.
No comments yet