It was to be expected that European sales of hair care products would decline in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown measures, but there have been a number of bright spots. Among them was a change in purchasing behavior as European consumers shifted their buying online and turned to hair treatments they could do at home while salons remained closed. As the European economies started to open up, consumer confidence tentatively picked up, enabling hair care brands to focus on rebuilding and planning for the future.

The Lockdown’s Impact

The outlook for European hair care sales for the 2020 period looks gloomy. According to Euromonitor International, Western Europe sales are expected to decline 1.1% to about $14.0 billion this year. Next year will probably not be much better, with sales predicted to be flat. It’s been tougher sledding in Eastern Europe. Industry analysts expect yearly sales to likely drop back by 7.3% to about $4.3 billion in 2020, though 2021 could see a welcome increase of 1.5%.

“With fewer Europeans leaving their homes, hair care routines have become more relaxed and less frequent,” observes Andrew McDougall, associate director, global beauty and personal care, Mintel.

Styling products, in particular, have been hard hit as activities outside the home evaporated and consumers no longer had the motivation to maintain their personal appearance. McDougall is, however, optimistic that shampoo’s position as a hygiene staple will mean that recovery will occur quickly as consumers return to the “next normal.”

“In the longer term, normal levels of hair care sales are expected. Hair care routines are well established and should remain steady,” predicts McDougall.

Buy Online

According to GlobalData, there has been a shift of consumer hair care buying online, with 9% of European consumers buying more or stockpiling more hair care products than before. This hoarding activity is likely to lessen as life returns to normal and consumers become less fearful about being able to get hold of staple personal care products. Yamina Tsalamlal, consumer analyst, GlobalData, has also noted that people have been signing on to sharing platforms such as TikTok and Instagram and experimenting more with their looks.

“It is why we were seeing cases of people documenting new hairstyles, cuts and colors, all DIY,” she maintains. “For others it has been a time to take a break from strenuous hair routines, such as those with curly hair foregoing the straightener or other time-consuming products since they aren’t going out.”

The lockdown also presented an opportunity for specific hair care formats to thrive, including dry shampoos and more time-intensive hair treatments. McDougall noted that on Instagram, Batiste made a very relevant and timely connection to its product and its ability to help consumers working from home to find a way to look “put together” while still maintaining a more relaxed hair care routine.

During lockdown, at-home hair color and color maintenance kit sales also enjoyed a surge in popularity as consumers searched for alternatives to the salon. Mintel data showed that many customers who had previously relied on salon services for hair color were looking for ways to disguise their roots or maintain their color at home. Root touch-up products and boxed dyes have both benefited from salon closures, but as salons reopen, some consumers may reconsider whether a professional dye job is worth the additional money and time investment, warns McDougall.

Sustainable Sustainability

At the beginning of the pandemic, consumers’ fears over transmitting the virus via reusable packaging led to a push for sealed pack types which were perceived as safer. As consumer confidence started to creep back, so have the number of products stating reusable and recyclable packaging claims.

“Consumers are in fact more concerned than ever before about sustainability in personal care packaging,” affirms Tsalamlal.

This is borne out by recent GlobalData research in which 43% of European consumers say that recyclable and reusable packaging is more important than before COVID-19. This suggests that during lockdown many consumers may have had time to rethink their purchasing decisions and regard sustainable choices as increasingly key. However, McDougall maintains that consumers buy hair care products for results and regard sustainability as a secondary benefit.

“Not being sustainable is certainly a reason people may decide not to buy certain products,” he argues.

As in skin care, consumers are increasingly looking for transparency in ingredients.

“Vegan and natural claims give consumers piece of mind that the hair care products they are using are safe,” points out Tsalamlal.

For example, Henkel (Italy) recently launched Antica Erboristica 2-in1 shampoo and balm in almond and açai berry, which is vegan and silicone-free, key features for the sustainability minded consumer.

“This shampoo also shows the overlap with natural food products as well as sustainability messaging that continues to resonate,” states Tsalamlal.

Solid shampoos and conditioner formats are an emerging trend in Europe and Mintel has seen an increasing number of launches in 2020. Not only do they dispense with the need for plastic packaging but offer a water-free alternative to traditional hair care products that contain around 80% water. For example, Beauty Kubes (UK) has launched a zero waste, plastic-free and vegan shampoo in a single-use cube format. The product is wrapped in a plant-based home compostable film derived from wood pulp cellulose. Other solid shampoo and conditioner formats include ShampooBit (Germany) and Solidu (Lithuania), the latter having changed its plastic and paper free packaging to a compostable option. And Yves Rocher (France) recently relaunched its hair care products with biodegradable, silicone-free formulas in newly designed packs made with 100% recycled plastic.

Predictions for the future of hair care in Europe are difficult at a time that many do not know how or when their lives might change again. Tsalamlal warns that brands cannot rest on their laurels or make assumptions about what the pandemic will mean for consumer behavior. However, what is certain is that new hair care trends will continue to come out of online communities and experimental consumers, thereby ensuring that the sector will continue to evolve.

---

Imogen Matthews
Headington, Oxford UK
+44 1865 764918
www.imogenmatthews.co.uk

Imogen Matthews is a respected consultant, journalist and researcher who commentates on trends in the beauty industry. She regularly contributes to many of the world’s foremost beauty trade titles, has served on the Board of Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW UK) and won the prestigious Cosmetic Executive (UK) Achiever Award. Founded by Imogen in 1993, The Premium Market Report remains the only in-depth report to examine trends in the premium cosmetics, skincare and fragrance industry.