Abstract
Mintel last reported on electrical hair appliances in June 2005. Since then, ceramic hair straighteners have continued to gain popularity with consumers, and prices have come down to meet demand. There is also a growing desire from consumers for appliances that protect, rather than damage, their hair.
This report examines the dichotomy between functionality and fashion. How do you make hairdryers trendy and widen the customer base for styling appliances? How do you persuade people to pay more for technology they do not really understand and perhaps do not want?
Electrical haircare is judged on results but is regarded with some suspicion by a large proportion of consumers. High usage of appliances, or appliances that attain great temperatures, is perceived as damaging to hair. This could limit usage; however, consumers still appear to want the highest spec on wattage in dryers (2200- 2300w) and the highest temperature on straighteners (230 degrees).
It may well be the case that people are not using the appliances correctly or that they wrongly equate heat with efficacy - however, the onus is on the manufacturers to come up with gentler haircare and to educate users. If a woman gets poor results, she is unlikely to blame herself, even if it is really down to her.
Main themes of the report:
- Is technology important in terms of what it actually does or in terms of the way in which it creates a buzz and makes the market look innovative and cutting edge?
- How do you persuade women to spend more in a market environment where many brands and products jostle for shelf space and discounting has become the norm?
- Is it possible to make dryers ' sexier' and to bring older women into the styling sector?
- Will significantly higher levels of main media expenditure produce higher growth rates?
- The market is somewhere between cosmetics, toiletries and small electrical appliances, somewhere between fashion and functionality. Is it better addressed by electrical appliance manufacturers, by haircare brands, by celebrity hairdressers, or by a synthesis of all three?
Table of Contents
- Issues in the Market
- Main report themes
- Definition
- Market in Brief
- Growth is elusive
- It' s a style thing
- But there are worries...
- The customer base
- The premium paradox
- Outlook
- Internal Market Environment
- Key points
- A fortune in hair
- A crowded house
- Too much techno...?
- ...and too much information?
- Status symbol
- The cult of celebrity
- The strength of the salon
- Complementary care -- added value?
- That professional touch
- Figure 1: Frequency of visiting a hairdresser in the last 12 months, women, by age and socio-economic group, 2007
- The chemical alternative
- Media
- It' s a gift
- The need to look good
- Figure 2: Trends in attitudes towards appearance, 2003-07
- Figure 3: Trends in attitudes towards purchasing, 2003-07
- Broader Market Environment
- Key points
- Inspector gadget
- Going green
- The influence of affluence
- Figure 4: Forecast adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2003-13
- The icon of youth may be losing its sparkle
- Figure 5: Structure of the UK female population, by age, 2003-13
- Working women are doing it for themselves
- Figure 6: Working population of women, 2003-13
- Competitive Context
- Key points
- Straighteners or salon?
- The mobile market
- The permanent way
- Figure 7: Experience of hair treatments in the last 12 months, by where done, October 2007
- Bring your own or use ours
- Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Market Value and Forecast
- Key points
- A £200 million market
- Figure 8: retail sales of electric hair appliances, 2003-13
- The future
- Forecast
- Factors used in the forecast
- Segment Performance
- Key points
- The shape of the market
- Figure 9: Market segmentation by appliance type, by value, 2008 (est)
- Hairdryers
- Figure 10: UK retail volume and value sales of hairdryers, 2003-13
- Hairstyling appliances
- Figure 11: UK retail volume and value sales of hairstyling appliances, 2003-13
- Figure 12: UK retail value sales of hairstyling appliances, by type, 2006 and 2008
- Figure 13: UK retail volume sales of hairstyling appliances, by type, 2006 and 2008
- Market Share
- Key points
- Figure 14: Brand shares in the total haircare appliances market, by value, 2005-07
- Companies and Products
- Conair (BaByliss, Revlon)
- Remington (Remington, Charles Worthington)
- Pulse Home Products (Nicky Clarke)
- Helen of Troy (Vidal Sassoon, TONI&GUY)
- ghd
- Salton Europe (Carmen, Andrew Collinge)
- Performance
- Braun (Braun)
- Others
- Brand Communication and Promotion
- Key points
- You reap what you spend
- Figure 15: Main monitored media advertising expenditure on electrical haircare appliances, 2003-07
- Figure 16: Main monitored advertising expenditure on electrical hair appliances, by top-spending brands, 2003-07
- The £1 million club
- Figure 17: Main monitored advertising expenditure on electrical hair appliances, by media type, 2003-07
- Youth TV and fashion mags are the favourite platform
- Campaign spend
- Ad themes -- style over substance
- Endorsement -- the face fits
- Used by professionals
- Be yourself
- Vanity -- A new religion for hair
- But what does it actually do?
- Multi-functionality
- Safety first
- And below the line...
- Channels to Market
- Key points
- Boots calls the shots
- Figure 18: UK retail distribution of haircare appliances, by type of outlet, 2005-07
- Online is growing in strength
- The Consumer -- Ownership and Usage
- Key points
- Ownership and expenditure
- Figure 19: Trends in ownership and recent purchase of electrical haircare appliances, 2002-07
- How the other half dries...
- An older market -- and dryers last
- The young and trendy go for straighteners
- Straighteners much dearer -- but dryers come down
- Figure 20: Expenditure on electrical hair appliances in the past 12 months, 2007
- Usage
- Figure 21: Usage of haircare appliances, by frequency, November 2007
- Doing what comes naturally
- Straightening it out
- Multistylers fail to catch on
- Portable' s not popular
- Repertoire of appliances
- Figure 22: Hair appliance usage repertoire, 2007
- Who are they?
- A repertoire of two to four
- The Consumer -- Buying Behaviour
- Key points
- Quality' s crucial -- if the price is right
- Figure 23: Consumer buying behaviour for electrical haircare appliances, November 2007
- The high street' s tops -- though the Internet' s cool
- Inform me
- You can' t beat word of mouth
- Potential for protection
- What a gift
- Appendix
- Advertising data
- Abbreviations
- Appendix: Ownership and Usage -- Detailed Consumer Demographics
- Electrical haircare appliances -- TGI
- Figure 26: Ownership and recent purchase of electrical haircare appliances, by demographic sub-group, 2007
- Regular usage
- Figure 27: Haircare appliances used regularly, by demographic sub-group, November 2007
- Occasional usage
- Figure 28: Haircare appliances used occasionally, by demographic sub-group, November 2007
- Figure 29: Haircare appliances used occasionally, by demographic sub-group, November 2007
- Appendix: Buying Behaviour -- Detailed Consumer Demographics
- Figure 30: Consumer buying behaviour for electrical haircare appliances, by demographic sub-group, November 2007
- Figure 31: Consumer buying behaviour for electrical haircare appliances, by demographic sub-group, November 2007
