Personal care: Haircare: Top Products 2019

Is the UK in the grip of a dandruff epidemic? One might think so given the triumphant year of leading shampoo Head & Shoulders. The medicated brand bucked the wider downward trend in haircare, with its value rising by 6.3% and volumes up 3.8%.

While flaky scalps played their part in Head & Shoulders’ 2019 windfall (alongside the brand’s ongoing TV ad push fronted by Strictly Come Dancing’s Claudia Winkleman), hip NPD doubtlessly helped drive growth too.

Its Ultra Deep Cleansing Charcoal and Supreme Colour Protect shampoos tap demand for “products which are targeted to very specific needs” says Nielsen client manager Nikoleta Andrianakou, citing the rise of blue and purple shampoos that prevent lightened hair from becoming dingy.

Growing demand for such niche products has mostly benefited haircare’s smaller and newer players, she says. “These brands are becoming more appealing to consumers because they can satisfy different, more specific needs, and are addressing new trends.”

Across the mults, “there is a greater number of smaller brands, and they receive distribution support from retailers as they help to bring new shoppers into store”, she adds.

Not that big players aren’t trying to cash in, as they seek to recoup the £10.3m lost across the whole category. In January, Tresemmé added Colour Shineplex – a sulphate-free range promising to keep hair colour vibrant for up to 12 weeks.

“We know 50% of UK women have coloured hair, and keeping it as vibrant and shiny as it was when they left the salon is a real challenge,” says Chris Barron, VP for beauty & personal care at brand owner Unilever.

But even with this innovation, Tresemmé has lost £4.9m across haircare’s three sectors as the fight for shelf space becomes increasingly vicious and shoppers turn to alternative channels for haircare.

Still, brands have to try. “Those that don’t follow the trends of the market or have no successful NPD are struggling through less support and because they’re declining in relevance,” says Nielsen’s Andrianakou.

A hair-raising warning indeed.

The Top Products 

In association with nielsen

The Grocer’s Top Launch

Garnier Hair Food by L’Oréal

They look almost good enough to eat: four leave-in hair treatments containing the likes of coconut, macadamia, papaya and banana. Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Food is “the new way to nourish hangry hair”, claims L’Oréal. The range – which its maker calls “masks” – has variants to nourish normal, damaged, dry and frizzy & unruly hair. In 2019, Hair Food “reached almost £3m value sales and is becoming more and more popular” says Nielsen’s Nikoleta Andrianakou. Delicious!