josefin-aED9rphM2iA-unsplash

Source: Unsplash

By Rob Brown rob_j_a_brown@hotmail.com

Publishing: 28 September 2024

Advertising deadline: 13 September 2024

Submissions deadline: 6 September

Print, digital and sponsorship opportunities

 

FEATURE ONE: personal hygiene

It’s an exciting time in feminine products. Unlike other personal care categories, where dominant brands continue to make gains, feminine hygiene appears ripe for a changing of the guard. With the leading brands down in volumes, challengers are making significant gains. So who are the category’s rising stars? What’s behind their success? And what role do organic and sustainability credentials play?

Female hygiene: From period pants to flushable sanitary pads, alternative period products are on the rise. Who’s shaking up the category and which products are they selling? Which areas are seeing greatest growth, and which ones are floundering?

Menopause: Aside from menstruation, which occasions are driving growth in female personal care? What role do maternity and menopause products play – are they increasing share, and are they likely to grow more in future?

Haircare, soaps & deodorants: Which brands are innovating in the other personal care categories? Who is gaining ground in haircare? And in soaps and deodorants? Are the leading brands solidifying their dominance – and who are the challengers?

Sustainability: In feminine hygiene and broader personal care, sustainability is a leading consumer demand. How is it affecting the other NPD in personal care?

 

FEATURE TWO: oral care

Sleek, stylish, focal point worthy. We aren’t describing architectural flourishes, but toothbrushes and mouthwash. With products designed for display, oral hygiene is done hiding in the bathroom cupboard. If yesterday’s bathroom products were all about practicality, today, they are optimal design and aesthetics – delivering a feel-good experience – is equally important. Which brands are elevating oral care? What NPD are they launching? And why has look become so central to this category?

Sleek products: A number of brands seek to bring an elevated oral care routine to shoppers. It is also the era of the high-end toothbrush, with products easily costing upwards of £170, and some boasting they teach you how to clean your teeth. But you don’t have to break bank to find aesthetic items. What role does beautiful design play for brands? And which ones are leaning into it?

Added benefits: Oral care is increasingly about the added perks. From toothbrushes’ many modes and long battery life to mouthwash tablets you can carry with you, these extras are on prominent display. Which perks are most popular with consumers? Which social media trends are driving them?

Sustainability: Beautiful products’ appearance is already a sustainability boon, companies might argue, because customers are more likely to reuse a sleek product. Oral care has many examples, from bamboo toothbrushes, plant-based bristles, recyclable handles and reusable heads to electric toothbrush heads made with straw, to plastic-free dental floss. What other recent innovations are there in sustainable oral care? Which companies are leading the way?

Whitening products: What’s behind the proliferation of whitening products in the UK. Which companies were in on the trend first? And who’s growing fastest in this area?