Often being eclipsed by seemingly more glamorous categories such as hair care and skin care, the launch of game-changing compressed deodorants has resulted in new attention being drawn to the deodorants space, offers Datamonitor Consumer. Innovation is now going beyond functional hygiene and is being explored in other ways, such as through sustainability, the blurring of category lines and a focus on male-targeted solutions.
With less than a quarter of consumers agreeing that the personal care industry is making a strong effort in trying to package products more responsibly in order to reduce waste, the trend toward compressed deodorants is successfully tapping into growing demand for sustainable personal care solutions.
As today’s consumers search for greener products, environmentally friendly packaging represents an important way by which brands can expand upon these credentials. Compact deodorants are one such way in which brands have responded to this trend, with Unilever leading the way. With two in five global consumers agreeing that if a beauty product has too much packaging, they will consider buying an alternative product, and this is creating opportunities for brands to tap into these concerns with more effective and meaningful packaging solutions that can assist in enhancing their eco-friendly and sustainable credentials, as seen with Unilever’s approach.
Apart from sustainability credentials, compressed deodorants also tap into the on-the-go behavior of today’s time-scarce consumer. Smaller packaging solutions that contain the same amount of fragrance as a full-sized product create a much more portable deodorant solution, appealing to consumers who are constantly on the move and need easy-to-carry products in order to facilitate application outside of the home. Therefore, with compact deodorants having succeeded in offering effective solutions for increasingly eco-conscious consumers while also delivering added convenience through more portable, easy-to-carry packaging, it is likely that this trend will continue to gain traction and greater innovation engagement going forward through interest from a wide range of consumers.
Across the wider deodorants space, consumers are now looking beyond the hygiene aspect of deodorant products, and one third of global consumers agree that sensory benefits are influential in their product choices within the personal hygiene space. The influence that the fragrance category has on the deodorants space is growing, catering to demand for more complex and exciting scents to use on the skin that have traditionally been confined to perfumes.
This is also representative of the blurring of category lines being seen across the personal care space. Innovation examples of this trend include Pure Lightness Perfumed Deo by Adidas for Women, recently launched in Malaysia. This deodorant is formulated with “crispy luminous fruits and vibrant watery” top notes, “delicate green floralcy” heart notes, and base notes of “tender fruits and sweet musk.”
Multifunctional continues to be an important trend within this space, particularly in relation to male-targeted innovation. This can be attributed to the fact that, globally, significantly fewer men enjoy spending time on a health and beauty regime compared to their female counterparts. Therefore, the need for an accelerated personal hygiene regime is of paramount importance in creating opportunities for effective multifunctional deodorant solutions.
Additionally, with male consumers now looking for more complex solutions as it becomes increasingly acceptable to have a targeted and structured personal care routine (particularly outside of Asia), this is creating opportunities for the expansion of benefits included in multifunctional formulations. An example of this approach includes Cool & Dry 48h by Adidas, which features 48-hour protection and claims to offer six benefits in one, including anti-wetness and antibacterial properties, avoiding yellow stains, and providing extra freshness.
With the growing dynamism being seen within deodorants, brands will need to ensure that they can deliver value that goes beyond simply hygiene in order to cater to the growing complexity of consumer needs within this space while also capitalizing on the expansion of wider personal care trends into this category.
