Industry Insights
India personal hygiene market size was estimated to account for a market value of USD 3.0 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow over the forecast period. India personal hygiene industry has numerous well established players such as L’Oreal, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, ITC, Marico, Colgate Pamolive, Godrej, Johnson & Johnson. Rising disposable income of the middle-class consumers is one of the primary factors contributing to the significant paradigm shift in the Indian personal hygiene market The premium mass brands of HUL has gained popularity in India owing to its extensive product portfolio. Climatic aggression in India is one of the significant factors contributing to the increasing awareness of personal hygiene among the consumers. The offline channel is the dominant segment and is expected to remain same over the forecast period owing to the presence of large and small retailers.
India personal hygiene market revenue split, by segment, 2017 (% share)
The continuous demographic upsurge in India is expecetd to generate increasing awareness about personal hygiene among the consumers. Moreover, rising disposable income and noticeable acceptance of new hygiene products is driving the popularity of premium brands among the consumers. Thus, international giants are exploring the market potential by introducing new innovative products. For instance, Johnson & Johnson introduced its baby top to toe wash, which is gentle, mild and allergy tested.
According to the Indian brand equity foundation, the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) is the fourth largest sector in India. The rural India has shown significant growth in FMCG over past few years and expected to drive the market growth in future. The increasing purchasing power of rural India is expected to drive the FMCG sector in rural areas. Moreover, the government policies reforms such as such as allowance 100% FDI( foreign direct investment) in single brand retail and 51% in multi brand retail is expected to provide high visibility for FMCG products in organised retail markets with new opportunities for product launches.
Segmentation by product type
• Soap
• Anti-perspirants & deodorants
• Bath & shower products
Soap as a daily cleanser has gained popularity in the everyday life of consumers. Consumers are attracted towards Soap providing multiple sensory experience. The bar soap offered are of various textures, scents and shapes. These multi-sensory bar soap are adding value to the bathing experiences with their uniqueness. Thus, manufacturers are launching innovative products with coupled benefits to cater to the specific need of consumers. For instance, LUX brand introduced its chocolate seduction which offers nourishment vitamins of cocoa cream & strawberry coupled with its chocolate color and tempting smell.
Moreover, consumers are seeking out specified benefits in hygiene products such as cleansing and nourishing properties. For instance, HUL’s Dove has launched various bar soaps, body wash considering the need of skin nourishment owing to the extreme weather conditions in India. For instance, the Dove beauty bar is made from one fourth of moisturizing cream and mild cleanser which serves as a suitable product during winters. Furthermore, the consumers are highly inclined towards natural products. Thus, manufacturers are focusing on organic hygiene products and are launching organic product lines to lure the customers. For instance, Biotique’s Bio Basil & Parsley revitalizing soap. The consumers are shifting their preference from mass to premium mass products owing to the increased spending power. Manufacturers are thus launching such premium mass brands to expand their product share in the market. For instance, Axe by Hindustan Unilever Ltd. has launched its premium fragrances under the Axe Signature Gold range
The manufacturers are also focusing on packaging of the products to attract customers such as ITC has brought pocket perfumes of its brand Engage in the market.
Segmentation by distribution channel
• Online
• Offline
The online retail sector is expected to be the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of around xx% over the forecast period. This scenario is attributed to the probable increase in the number of online retailers, price discounts offered by them and easy availability of foreign and premium products. Furthermore, the access to high speed internet and the busy lifestyle of consumers has influenced the time efficient shopping experience is expected to drive the growth of online retail sales over the forecast period. However, the retail sector has a strong foothold in India with presence of organized and un-organized players in the market.
Competitive Landscape
The India personal hygiene market is consolidated with the presence of well eastablished players such as ITC, Unilever, P&G and others. The leading player in personal hygiene product is Hindustan Unilever with its major mass brands namely Vaseline, Dove, Ponds, LUX,and Lifebouy. India houses well eastablished retail chains in terms of revenue hence, offline distribution channel commands the major share in the personal hygiene market. However, a relative high growth rate is expected for online channle, which is increasingly influencing the shopping behaviour of consumers in the country.
