Herbal Essences’ core conditioners have shrunk in size by 45.5%, but shelf prices have remained the same in some retailers.
Ignite My Colour, Dazzling Shine and Hello Hydration 400ml bottles have been replaced by 275ml ones in Tesco.
However, shelf prices have stuck at £1.95 in the supermarket, according to The Grocer’s analysis of Assosia data [12 w/e 7 October 2024].
The new 275ml formats of Hello Hydration and Dazzling Shine are priced at £3 in Waitrose, which is the same price as the old 400ml versions were.
Meanwhile, Dazzling Shine Conditioner 275ml is just 10p less (£2.40 compared with £2.50) than the former 400ml format in Morrisons – equivalent to 36.6% price increase per 100ml.
“We work incredibly hard to keep prices down, whilst also providing great choice,” a spokesman for Waitrose told The Grocer.
“These conditioners are currently priced at two for £4, while our wider range starts from £1.75 for 300ml.”
While Tesco and Morrisons declined to comment, Herbal Essences owner Procter & Gamble had not responded to requests as The Grocer went to press.
Despite the changes to Herbal Essences’ conditioner portfolio, its core shampoos have remained the same size at 400ml with no notable price changes over recent weeks.
The base price of Hello Hydration shampoo 400ml, for instance, has remained stable in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose month-on-month, averaging at £2.26 per pack, according to The Grocer’s KVI Tracker [52 w/e 3 October 2024].
Herbal Essences is currently the UK’s sixth top-selling haircare brand. However, its value dropped by 2% to £38.5m in the year to 27 January 2024, on flat volumes (–0.2%), according to NIQ data.
While top five brands Elvive (–9.8%), Head & Shoulders (–4.3%) and Tresemme (–11.6%) suffered faster volume declines than Herbal Essences over the period, they added a combined £18.7m due to higher prices.
According to NIQ senior analytics executive Chandni Singh, the cost of living crisis was putting pressure on shoppers, “leading to reduced demand within the category”.
“As consumers navigate economic challenges, maintaining affordability while delivering value will be pivotal for brands seeking to thrive in the market,” Singh said.
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