Abstract
In 2007, the market for nappies and baby wipes continued to deliver growth, despite the persistent pressure from discounting within the ever more dominant grocery multiples. A welcome boost in the number of babies in the UK, combined with product innovation from both leading and niche brands, has helped to sustain market values.
However, despite concerted efforts of brand manufacturers to establish relationships of trust with parents, the popularity and increasing sophistication of own-label nappies, in combination with their lower price points, could in time pose a threat to the market leaders.
In this report Mintel examines the theme that with environmental issues becoming ever more prominent in the public eye, can the disposable nappies industry maintain its monopoly over infant hygiene, or will this new age of ' green' see the disposable empire crumble amid campaigns for parents to revert to the reusable?
Key themes of the report:
- Despite the increasing birth-rate, the industry did not rely on volume sales alone to drive market size but also invested in development of premium ranges to increase value.
- In the face of public pressure to reduce the amount of nappies going to landfill, parents are remaining loyal to both disposable nappies and wipes.
- The Internet community lies at the heart of modern-day parenting, with reusable, disposable, brand and own-label players all trying to command a share of this targeted medium of communication.
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