Deodorants – still smelling sweet

The deodorant market is booming in growth regions but more saturated markets are thriving too thanks to innovative, targeted products. Julia Wray reports

Regarded as a necessity in mature markets and with increasing penetration in emerging ones, deodorants are on the up.

According to data from Euromonitor International, the global deodorant market was worth nearly $20.4bn in 2011, up 6.7% from 2010’s total of $19.1bn. Deodorant sprays, a category that includes all aerosol deodorants and antiperspirants as well as body sprays and body mists continued to be the most popular format, accounting for $8.8bn of the entire market. It was also the fastest growing sector, increasing 11.2% year on year.

Roll-on and stick formats also registered healthy growth in 2011 at the expense of creams and non-aerosol pumps.

Regionally, major growth areas were Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa. “But both the Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa deodorant markets grew from a very small base and are still relatively small,” comments Nicole Tyrimou, beauty and personal care analyst at Euromonitor. “Latin America on the other hand is the number one market for deodorants globally. It’s so huge because the line between fragrance and deodorant is blurred. The average consumer is less affluent than in some regions, so deodorant sprays (particularly body sprays) aren’t just used for function but as a scent.”

The poorest performing regions in growth terms were western Europe and North America, but Tyrimou says this is to be expected as both markets are saturated. However the deodorant market tends to remain stable in mature regions “because they are considered to be essential hygiene products”. As Tyrimou notes: “People aren’t just going to stop using them as they are considered a necessity. And because deodorants are relatively cheap there is little trade down, whereas in emerging regions they are not viewed in the same way.”

She adds that format preferences tend to vary from country to country and are linked to cultural preferences. “In North America the bulk of deodorants sold are sticks. This is partly because North American consumers consider this format to be the most effective but mainly because the leading brands have traditionally made stick deodorants in the US. So it’s really driven by brand preference. And wipes are enjoyed by Japanese consumers, who like hygiene products and cleansing routines.”

Across all formats however there are certain attributes that consumers demand from a deodorant. As Stephen Byrne, senior brand manager at Nivea Personal Care, notes: “Consumers look for confidence that they do not have body odour and that their sweating is controlled. They look for a deodorant to be efficacious and they also want a long lasting fragrance that delivers freshness for as long as possible. Products that don’t irritate the skin are also important.”