The Future of Oral Hygiene: Capitalizing On Emerging Trends and Changing Preferences

Introduction

Oral hygiene consumers deem value-for-money to be the main consideration when purchasing category products, but many factors impact choice. Brand is generally not as important to oral hygiene consumers as either teeth whitening benefits or overall product efficacy. Yet consumers are clearly quality conscious

Scope

Detailed insights and analysis documenting consumers' attitudes towards oral hygiene and the drivers and inhibitors of consumption habits

Data highlighting the importance consumers place on different oral care product features and the frequency of using these products

Strategic conclusions combined with actionable recommendations for all industry players looking to fully capitalize on this category

Covers: France, Germany, Italy, Neths, Spain, Sweden, UK, US, Australia, Japan, S. Korea, China, India, Brazil, Russia, UAE and Saudi Arabia

Highlights

A very high level of basic awareness exists about the significance of maintaining good oral health with 82% of global respondents regarding it as either 'important' or 'very important'. This positive attitude was particularly evident in Brazil

Consumer lifestyles are leading to a plethora of oral health problems. Diets, in particular, are often not conducive to strong teeth given the increasing prevalence of acidic drinks and sugary foods. Gaps in knowledge and understanding are exacerbating the problem, with several falling short in terms of thorough brushing and regular dentist visits

It is apparent that majorities of consumers globally are concerned by differing oral hygiene issues covered in Datamonitor's research. In particular, the build up of plaque and bad breath were issues of concern; more than half of respondents claimed to be both concerned about these issues AND actively using oral care products to address the issue

Reasons to Purchase

Consumer understanding: obtain a detailed understanding of consumer attitudes and behaviors towards oral hygiene products by accessing unique data

Market understanding: identify the key markets and product innovation trends in 17 countries across five geographic territories

Ideation: find inspiration for innovative oral care formulations and product positioning which cater to the overwhelming consumer emphasis on value

Contents

Overview
Catalyst
Summary
Table of Contents
Table of figures
Table of tables

THE FUTURE DECODED

INTRODUCTION: Oral hygiene is a major component of the overall personal care market
This report is one in a series of five category focused reports outlining personal care trends
The value of the oral hygiene market is currently being eclipsed by that of the personal care market overall
Today's oral hygiene market is subject to a number of drivers and inhibitors
TREND: 'Visual Culture' and an associated pre-occupation with appearance is the defining trend in the personal care space across product categories
Image is important to consumers even if they do not significantly feel societal pressure to look good (at least consciously that is)
There is scope for consumers to feel happier about their appearance, given the pressure to conform to demanding beauty ideals associated with contemporary society
Visual Culture reflects the reality that people tend to gain status and value through their appearance
Key takeouts and implications: Visual Culture is the core macro-trend influencing personal care habits, including oral care
TREND: Sales of oral hygiene products have proven steady, driven by innovation that increasingly defies the commodity status often bestowed upon the category
The market value of oral hygiene products has grown at a consistent rate
However, the recession has undoubtedly had an impact consumer behavior
Key takeouts and implications: the high functionality focus of oral hygiene products means that they are recession-resistant, but branded players are vulnerable to cheaper private label alternatives
INSIGHT: Consumers' widespread concern about oral hygiene is somewhat undermined by knowledge gaps and motivation to maintain good habits
Consumers generally understand the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene, but oral health problems are prevalent nevertheless
Despite placing high importance attributed to the maintenance of good oral hygiene, evidence indicates that consumers are less satisfied with the results of their oral care regimes
Consumers are generally concerned by a broad range of issues associated with oral hygiene, ranging from plaque to the need to floss
Key takeouts and implications: industry players must capitalize on the high importance attached to good oral hygiene with engagement driven marketing activity
INSIGHT: Oral hygiene consumers deem value-for-money to be the main consideration when purchasing category products, but many factors impact choice
Value-for-money considerations heavily influence oral hygiene product choices across regions
The high costs associated with poor oral hygiene have potentially added commercial leverage with consumers being so heavily value-orientated
Key takeouts and implications: oral care players must embrace value-led marketing tactics
INSIGHT: Brand loyalty is not as important to oral hygiene consumers as either teeth whitening benefits or overall product efficacy
Being both quality and brand conscious typically characterizes oral hygiene consumers, but there are notable variations by country and gender
Key takeouts and implications: branding is not as important to consumers in the oral hygiene category as it is in other 'fashionable' categories such as make-up or fragrances, but efficacy-led quality is
INSIGHT: Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in oral hygiene products containing natural or organic ingredients and which exude ethicality
Key takeouts and implications: the natural and organic oral care market is set to outgrow the standard market, but such benefits are still secondary for most consumers
INSIGHT: Customization benefits in products such as toothbrushes and toothpastes are a mid-ranking consideration for consumers
Gene-based research may represent the future of personalized offerings in oral care
Key takeouts and implications: product customization/personalization has become a more attractive proposition to consumers who want to feel that their specific oral care requirements are being met rather than using something more generic
INSIGHT: Wider marketing influences are not deemed to be significantly important to consumers' oral care product choices
Key takeouts and implications: consumers trust the recommendations of people they know, so focusing on efficacy is a must so that satisfied consumers are encouraged to advocate brands to others
INSIGHT: Consumption and lifestyle habits, allied with demographic influences, affect oral health in society
Age can have a significant bearing on oral health
Groups said to be at-risk of oral health problems include diabetics and smokers
Key takeouts and implications: oral health problems plague a number of consumer groups, and many aspects of modern lifestyles exacerbate the problem

ACTION POINTS

ACTION: Ensure that value, efficacy, brand-led quality and unique sensory benefits are the core components of oral hygiene brands
Use Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics (PLA) database to stay abreast of the most prominent product formulation trends both in and outside of the oral care category
ACTION: Adopt a more holistic, longer term approach to driving occasion growth by emphasizing the wider health implications of optimal oral care
Embrace the ideology of 'social marketing' and focus on vulnerable and 'at-risk' consumers in both education initiatives and consumer need-led innovation
Engagement led social marketing is strongly recommended
Ensure that products are marketed as being effective facilitators of improved health and appearance
Consider partnering with providers that deliver wider oral health benefits or embracing similar approaches to innovation to offer a more complete oral health portfolio
ACTION: Promote oral hygiene products as a route to enhanced confidence
Ethical/sustainability led consumption behavior increasingly has status value
ACTION: Combine natural and ethicality credentials for a more compelling, augmented selling proposition
Stay abreast of developments in the natural/ethical oral care segment with a view to capitalizing
Take inspiration from the household cleaning category by helping consumers to understand what ingredients are used and why
Cause related marketing is an effective way of complimenting social marketing and re-enforcing ethicality
ACTION: Continue to help simplify, yet enhance the user experience by delivering more effective oral hygiene solutions
Deliver multi-functionality to exude the convenience and efficacy that consumers want from what is typically a functional-led purchase

APPENDIX

Further reading and references
Ask the analyst
Datamonitor consulting
Disclaimer

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Consumer survey: the importance attributed by consumers to looking one's best and taking care of one's oral health, in 17 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, North America and the Middle East, by country, 2009
Table 2: Consumer survey: the extent to which consumers feel under pressure to look good, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and North America, by country, 2008
Table 3: Consumer survey: the importance that consumers attribute to looking their best in day-to-day life, in 17 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, North America and the Middle East, by country, 2009
Table 4: Market value of oral hygiene products in Europe (US $ millions), by sub-category, 2003-2013
Table 5: Market value of oral hygiene products in North America (US $ millions), by sub-category, 2003-2013
Table 6: Market value of oral hygiene products in South and Central America (US $ millions), by sub-category, 2003-2013
Table 7: Market value of oral hygiene products in Asia Pacific (US $ millions), by sub-category, 2003-2013
Table 8: Market value of oral hygiene products in MENA (US $ millions), by sub-category, 2003-2013
Table 9: Consumer survey: the self-reported propensity to make sure beauty products are used up before replacing in order to save money, in 17 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, North America and the Middle East, by country and product category, 2009
Table 10: Consumer survey: the importance that consumers attribute to taking care of their oral health, in 17 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, North America and the Middle East, by country, 2009
Table 11: Consumer survey: the importance that consumers attribute to taking care of their oral health, in 17 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, North America and the Middle East, by country and gender, 2009
Table 12: Daily per capita brushing occasions in 17 countries, by country, 2004-2014
Table 13: Daily per capita mouthwash usage occasions in 17 countries, by country, 2004-2014
Table 14: Consumer survey: concern about the build up of plaque, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and North America, by country and gender, 2008
Table 15: Consumer survey: concern about sensitive teeth, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and North America, by country and gender, 2008
Table 16: Consumer survey: concern about tooth discoloration, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and North America, by country and gender, 2008
Table 17: Consumer survey: concern about bad breath, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and North America, by country and gender, 2008
Table 18: Global market volume of chewing gum (kg m), by sub-category, 2004-2014
Table 19: Consumer survey: concern about gum disease, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and North America, by country and gender, 2008
Table 20: Consumer survey: concern about the need to floss, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and North America, by country and gender, 2008
Table 21: The number of per capita dental floss usage occasions per day globally, by country, 2004-2014
Table 22: Consumer survey: perceived similarities between store brand products (e.g. supermarket own brands) and market leading famous brands, in 17 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, North America and the Middle East, by country and FMCG product sector/category, 2009
Table 23: Consumer survey: the statement that European consumers believe best reflects their outlook on oral hygiene product purchases, by country and gender, 2009
Table 24: Consumer survey: the statement that Brazilian and US consumers believe best reflects their outlook towards oral hygiene product purchases, by country and gender, 2009
Table 25: Consumer survey: the statement that Asia Pacific consumers believe best reflects their outlook on oral hygiene product purchases, by country and gender, 2009
Table 26: Consumer survey: the statement that MENA consumers believe best reflects their outlook on oral hygiene products, by country and gender, 2009
Table 27: Consumer survey: the importance attached to buying ethical or socially responsible products, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and North America by country, 2008
Table 28: Consumer survey: the importance attached to buying ethical or socially responsible products, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and North America by country, 2008
Table 29: Consumer survey: credibility of endorsements for cosmetics or toiletries made by professional associations, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and North America, by country, 2008
Table 30: Consumer survey: credibility of endorsements for cosmetics or toiletries made by celebrities, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and North America, by country, 2008
Table 31: Per capita consumption of carbonates, juices and non-powdered milk (in liters) globally, by category, 2004-2014
Table 32: Per capita consumption of chocolate and sugar confectionary (in kgs) and ice cream (in liters) globally, by category, 2004-2014
Table 33: Edentulous US Seniors, by age, 2000-2007
Table 34: The number of cigarettes smoked per capita in 17 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, North and South America and MENA, by country, 2004-2014

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: The overall personal care industry is growing at a faster rate than the oral hygiene category
Figure 2: Consumers universally believe that maintaining good oral hygiene is more important than generally looking good in day-to-day life
Figure 3: Despite recessionary times, consumers are still being influenced to spend good money on oral hygiene products
Figure 4: Whitening features has been one of the notable growth areas in oral hygiene in recent years
Figure 5: Visual Culture is a term describing consumers' intense appearance consciousness and the widespread desire to project a more confident and favorable image to the wider world
Figure 6: Appearance is important to consumers across geographic territories, regardless of whether they feel pressure to conform to the pervasive presence of Visual Culture in modern society
Figure 7: Lauren Luke embodies the 'everywoman' element of contemporary Visual Culture
Figure 8: While most consumers attribute a high importance to looking good, fewer are actually happy with how they look themselves
Figure 9: Outside of the emerging BRIC markets, Spaniards are the most reliant on beauty products to feel more confident about themselves
Figure 10: Beauty is associated with success and opportunity, but workplace professionalism is deemed comparably less influential on the general personal care choices that consumers make
Figure 11: Personal branding is a manifestation of the pervasive influence of the 'Visual Culture' trend
Figure 12: After a dip in 2008, product launch activity in the oral hygiene category increased in 2009
Figure 13: Brazilians attach the most importance on good oral hygiene, while Japanese consumers are significantly less enthused than the global average
Figure 14: Global consumers are most concerned by, and actively addressing, bad breath and the build up of plaque
Figure 15: Only one-in-five consumers across the 15 countries researched expresses a lack of concern about the build up of plaque
Figure 16: Japanese consumers show the least amount of concern about the issue of sensitive teeth
Figure 17: Dutch consumers are the least concerned about the issue of tooth discoloration
Figure 18: Maintaining good oral health is essential to reducing bad breath, but not all consumers appear to appreciate this reality
Figure 19: In Europe, Spanish and German consumers demonstrate the most concern about gum disease
Figure 20: US consumers are more sensitive than average about the need to floss
Figure 21: The escalating value consciousness among consumers has also resulted in brand switching
Figure 22: Brazilian and Middle Eastern consumers in particular attribute high importance to a number of factors when purchasing oral hygiene products
Figure 23: Value-for-money is the most important factor for Europeans, except Russians, when purchasing oral hygiene products
Figure 24: Teeth whitening benefits are deemed very important to consumers in the Americas, especially Brazilians
Figure 25: Australians consider value-for-money to be of far more importance than any other factors when purchasing oral hygiene products, whereas this is less apparent less apparent elsewhere in Asia
Figure 26: There is no real defining product benefit that Gulf consumers want from their oral hygiene products, certainly compared to value-focused global consumers
Figure 27: Consumers assign value to products based on a number of factors in what reflects a widening 'value equation'
Figure 28: Attitudes towards value-for-money are polarized most in Asia Pacific, with the notion extremely important in China and India-far more so than in Japan and Korea
Figure 29: Obtaining value-for-money is an important purchasing pre-requisite for all personal care product formats, but particularly oral hygiene
Figure 30: Spanish consumers have been the most willing of the Europeans to switch to private label oral hygiene products across all three categories
Figure 31: Only a small fraction of consumers in the Americas have turned to private label oral hygiene products
Figure 32: Japanese consumers have shown a lack of responsiveness to private label offerings in the oral hygiene category, despite the recession
Figure 33: A tenth of consumers in the UAE switched to private label toothpaste during the recession
Figure 34: Private label penetration in the oral hygiene market is continuing to grow, especially in 2009
Figure 35: The oral hygiene category is seeing an increase in the number of private label products being launched
Figure 36: The high costs associated with poor oral hygiene have potentially added commercial leverage with consumers' so heavily value-orientated
Figure 37: Both efficacy and cosmetic benefits are more important to Europeans than a favored brand when purchasing oral hygiene products
Figure 38: For Brazilians, teeth whitening benefits are more important than general product efficacy, whereas the reverse is true in the US
Figure 39: India stands apart as the only nation where oral hygiene product brand is considered more important than the effectiveness of the product
Figure 40: Brand, efficacy and teeth whitening product credentials are deemed more important in the Middle East than elsewhere
Figure 41: Europeans are not necessarily preoccupied by oral hygiene branding, but are uncompromising in their desire for efficacy-led quality
Figure 42: Brand and quality consciousness are inextricably linked for Brazilians, but less so for Americans
Figure 43: Japanese and Korean consumers are comparably uninfluenced by oral hygiene brands, whereas Indians consider to it be highly important
Figure 44: Of the Gulf consumers who want high quality oral hygiene products, around half also pay careful attention to which brands they select
Figure 45: Sustainability and ethics will drive a higher number of commercial and consumer decisions
Figure 46: Russians in particular find it very important that oral hygiene products contain natural or organic ingredients
Figure 47: Natural ingredients and ethical benefits are both far more important to Brazilians than Americans
Figure 48: Chinese and Indian consumers are heavily in favor of natural or organic oral hygiene products, while Japanese consumers are far more apathetic towards them
Figure 49: Fewer than one in 10 gulf consumers find natural/organic ingredients and ethical/environmental benefits to be unimportant when choosing oral hygiene products
Figure 50: A number of recently-launched oral hygiene products such as mouthwashes, chewing gums and toothpastes are touting natural or organic ingredients
Figure 51: Customization/personalization benefits are likely to appeal to the high proportion of individualistic global consumers who value the opportunity to be personally expressive and have products the better meet specific needs
Figure 52: With the exception of in Sweden, customization in oral hygiene products has become gradually more important to Europeans
Figure 53: In the US, the percentage of consumers showing interest in customizable oral hygiene products has grown to more than a third in 2009
Figure 54: Customizable features touted by oral hygiene products have grown in importance everywhere in Asia Pacific except India
Figure 55: Saudi consumers in particular want oral hygiene products to have customization benefits
Figure 56: Customized/personalized products offer benefits to specific demographics as well as targeting particular oral health problems
Figure 57: Europeans consider packaging design to be the least important aspect of product marketing associated with oral hygiene products
Figure 58: US and Brazilian consumers display contrasting attitudes to oral hygiene product endorsements
Figure 59: In the context of oral hygiene products, recommendations from friends and family are deemed particularly important to consumers in China, India and South Korea
Figure 60: Gulf consumers find various aspects of marketing far more important than the average global consumer does
Figure 61: While personal care consumers are somewhat skeptical about the endorsements of professional associations, they find them far more credible than celebrity-led endorsements
Figure 62: Several acids are found in everyday foods and beverages which can be harmful to teeth
Figure 63: Manufacturers are actually focusing less on 'low' and 'no sugar' formulations as time goes on
Figure 64: There has been a decreasing proportion of products that are good for teeth
Figure 65: Colgate-Palmolive is one company which has acknowledged the link between diabetes and this has been reflected in recent marketing activity
Figure 66: Numerous issues influence consumers' oral care product choice so marketers need to be wary of one-dimensional marketing that does not capture the confluence of purchase influences
Figure 67: Colgate offers vouchers and discounts on its own websites to provide consumers with better value
Figure 68: Kid targeted products represent the most prominent theme in global toothpaste innovation
Figure 69: There has been a discernable increase in global private label toothbrush launches in 2008-09
Figure 70: Mouthwash products have been comparably more focused on formulation specifics
Figure 71: The Crest Pro Health website alerts interested parties about the wider health ramifications of poor oral hygiene
Figure 72: Oral hygiene marketing can embrace the ideology of social marketing and that such products can contribute to the greater public good
Figure 73: Parents can find oral care tips on www.oralb.com/smilestages to better help them understand the oral health needs of children at every stage
Figure 74: Institutional campaigns promoting oral health in childhood offer an opportunity for oral hygiene manufacturers and retailers to add further impetus
Figure 75: P&G's Oral-B product marketing has attempted to engage and interact with its' target audience
Figure 76: Whitening toothpastes are touting benefits beyond removing stains from teeth
Figure 77: Educating consumers about the benefits of good oral health can encourage further sales of oral hygiene products because it promotes optimal usage and therefore consumer occasions
Figure 78: Evora's oral care range for kids and adults extends the probiotic phenomena into oral care
Figure 79: Category crossover potentially opens the door to collaborative marketing initiatives
Figure 80: Confidence enhancing messages in oral care can be emphasized in numerous ways
Figure 81: Macleans even offers social confidence tips, as well as product information, via the brand website
Figure 82: Status and conspicuous consumption are equally valid but require different approaches
Figure 83: SC Johnson has developed a special website to communicate the specific of how the company's brands are formulated
Figure 84: Traceability initiatives effectively support the overall branding efforts of products
Figure 85: A host of innovative products have invigorated the oral hygiene category
Figure 86: Innovation in the oral hygiene category can spark renewed interest and enthusiasm among consumers
Skip to top