Hair care can be defined as the practices and products used to maintain the health, appearance, and vitality of the hair and scalp. It is a category that we have seen growing due to it’s ever evolving and dynamic nature with the emergence of different trends and advice from influencers and hair care professionals.
Although we see a huge commitment and loyalty of consumers to their favourite brands and products, we have noticed that there is also a willingness to try new products and brands which could potentially help them achieve the care and results they are desiring. We see a lot of consumers coming in to buy their usual hair care products and also browse and take interest in new products we highlight and have on our counters such as hair masks and in particular styling products such as sleek hair sticks which help to smoothen flyaway hairs. There has also been an increase in interest of vitamins and products to help hair from within and contribute to hair growth and strength such as hair gummies and capsules containing ingredients such a biotin.
Social media and ‘viral’ products have contributed significantly to consumer interest and increased value on the hair care category. We have noticed that any products which are heavily advertised or endorsed by social media accounts gain heavy attraction and demand from consumers. The owner of the brand ‘Sleek N Easy’ came to our pharmacy one day uninvited and was delighted to see that we stocked her new ‘Hair Finishing Stick’ and asked if she could film a video which she since uploaded onto her Tik Tok account announcing that our pharmacy stocked it. As a result, we sold out of the product within a day and had to restock twice over within the same week due to the increase in demand especially from pupils in the local secondary school and word of mouth that we stocked the product.
Shopper trends as with other categories are ever changing and never static. We have seen an increased awareness and demand for more natural based hair colours which do not contain harsh chemicals, and these have overtaken other brands at the moment. Also new, novel ways of applying hair colour such as those which are like a hair mask rather than being brushed on have increased in demand. Trends change also, based on the time of year so in Autumn and Winter we see a surge in products which help dryness and provide protection from the harsh elements so hair masks, oils and vitamin sales increase. In the Spring and Summer, we see a demand for sun protection and moisture surge products for coarseness as well as styling products to help with humidity and frizz. We have also seen an increase in sales in men’s hair care products but in particular stylers and shavers.
There is no denying that the hair care category adds significant value to the pharmacy and is one that we do not neglect. There does not seem to be a noticeable price changes as there are many brands in the category which cater to all price ranges from ¤2 shampoo and conditioners, mid-range brands all the way up to luxury brands, the vastness of choice means that consumers have many options to suit their needs. We also notice the banded products such as shampoo and conditioner packs for ¤4 are still as popular as ever and provide hair care without compromising on quality. Some hair care treatments such as conditioning masks or vitamins have seen an increase in price but consumer loyalty to these products and brands has meant that this is rarely a concern for consumers, however we do try to offer alternatives at all price levels.
New formulations of products especially in hair colour has seen certain products gain popularity such as colour which can be applied like a hair mask as previously mentioned saw a surge in interest and sales from consumers. We have seen demand for styling products such as hair dryers, straighteners and heatless curl sets all year round and not only over the Christmas period which means we have to ensure we have them in stock to cope with demands.
Sustainability could be improved in evolving the category, I feel we need more brands and products which have a strong ethos regarding ingredients which are not harmful to the environment. Although there are some emerging brands, I feel these are relatively lesser known and are not getting an opportunity to attract new consumers due to loyalty to more well-known brands who I feel could do more with regards to sustainability in both their ingredients and packaging.
There is no doubt that consumers are the drivers in this category, their loyalty to products ensures that brands do not need to worry about sales wavering. Also, consumers are behind the popularity and success of new products, and we see this when influencers and advertising for certain products are very high that this correlates to increase in sales and demand.
Variety and innovation are the key I believe to improve revenue in the category. Ever since we invested more in the category to keep all the leading products but also keeping a constant eye on new products and brands and doing research into them and highlighting and increasing awareness to consumers has significantly increased revenue in the category. It has gone beyond just shampoo and conditioner and this acknowledgement and investment in the category is highly recommended to cater to the ever-growing consumer needs and demands.
Written by Fatimah Kara, Supervising Pharmacist, Reidy’s Pharmacy Rathcoole
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