Focus On Male Grooming: 3 April

Focus On: Male Grooming by Jennie Milsom  

Download the synopsis here

Publishing: 3 April 2021

Advertising deadline: 19 March

Submissions deadline: 12 March

The Story

It’s been a hairy time for male grooming. With millions working from home with limited social contact, it’s not surprising that male grooming has taken a backseat during the pandemic. But with an end to lockdown in sight, will attitudes and societal expectations towards male grooming revert to those pre-Covid or have the events of 2020 driven a more permanent shift?

Key themes

Facial hair: Sales of razors & blades and shaving preparations fell drastically during the pandemic as millions were stuck indoors with little reason to trim beards or worry about stubble. But with the reopening of social venues and workplaces finally on the horizon, how are brands and retailers gearing up for a renewed demand in these products? What opportunities are there for balms and oils?

Established brands versus disrupters: Leading brands drove the category decline of razors & blades however newer brands bucked the trend. How will the dynamic between these play out in 2021? What about deodorant, shampoo and fragrances, which also took a hit?

Customer satisfaction: According to Shopper Intelligence, 19% of shoppers said their most desired improvement to the male grooming category was “range gaps”. How are retailers working with suppliers to address this and improve customer satisfaction? Which subcategories are cashing in by plugging these gaps?

Price & Promotions: Price and promotions are key purchase triggers for the category, with 8% of shoppers making purchasing decisions based on “a good price or special offer’, double the average across all other grocery categories [Shopper Intelligence]. After supermarkets axed deals in the early days of the pandemic, how are retailers using promotional triggers to win over the chaps in 2021?

Skincare: Last year Men’s Skincare was down 5.3%. What does 2021 have in store for brands and retailers in terms of trends, consumer demand and innovations?

Data: Using Kantar/Nielsen commentary, we explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of the relevant male grooming subcategories

Innovations: We identify four new male grooming products or product ranges that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before including 100 words on each, including launch date RSP, and a hi-res picture of each.