A study has found that professional hair care sales could offer a lifeline to the struggling salon sector.
Recent findings by research firm Kline reported that in the US in June, sales were 98% of that of the previous year.
Shampoos and conditioners were among the most successful sellers up 6% and 12%, respectively, in 2019.
Hair care products that provide colour care benefits, which traditionally have the highest category share according to Kline, also saw a bump in the second quarter to 34% of the market.
While the data showed that services were rebounding from the effects of lockdowns across the US, it found services were not recovering at the same rate as products due to the lockdown in April.
But Kline Pro’s Project Manager Paula Gottdiner was positive about the results.
“Based on what we are seeing with Kline Pro, the salon industry is on track to recover,” she said.
“Services that are rebounding the best are those that are more high-tech and require the expertise of a professional stylist,” she noted.
Meanwhile, Kline is also preparing to publish the transactions from the third quarter in the next couple of months.
Gottdiner continued: “It will be interesting to measure the recovery and be able to analyse both the product and service components of the industry.”
'UK salon owners suffer'
Analysis:
By Becky Bargh
Senior News and Social Media Reporter
In the UK, hairdressers were given the green light to open at the beginning of July, as long as extra safety measures were put in place.
This was granted ahead of other salon services, such as nail technicians and spas, despite being met with fierce opposition from the sector.
However, fresh fears have been sparked among the sector as tougher restrictions are enforced across the country, including Liverpool, Greater Manchester and soon to be South Yorkshire.
It’s therefore clear that new methods of survival need to be adopted in the sector as the UK yoyos in and out of restrictions, begging the question, could professional sales be the answer?