Jeff Falk

In the U.S., 2006 was a big year for conditioners, shampoos and styling agents, which grew by 9.1%, 6.2% and 4.8% respectively. This performance, according to Euromonitor, is largely due to aggressive product launches and relaunches from leading manufacturers, supported by an aggregate $1 billion advertising budget and an ever-increasing product-price mix. The hyper competitive nature of the hair-care sector has forced brand managers to seek out rapid growth over a shorter period, as evidenced mid-year launch of Sunsilk, which only has six months to prove itself to retailers. The hair-care categories are home to the largest brands and most frequently used products, and they offer manufacturers the quickest opportunity to gain market share.

For more information, visit Euromonitor online.