According to Datamonitor, innovation is now going beyond functional hygiene and is being explored in other ways, such as through sustainability, the blurring of category lines, and a focus on male-targeted solutions.
The firm's Associate Analyst, Jamie Mills reports that with less than a quarter of consumers agreeing that the personal care industry is making a strong effort to package products more responsibly, the trend towards compressed deodorants is successfully tapping into growing demand for sustainable solutions.
"As today’s consumers search for greener products, environmentally friendly packaging represents an important way by which brands can expand upon these credentials. Compact deodorants are one such way in which brands have responded to this trend, with Unilever leading the way," Mills tells CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com.
2 in 5 consumers say they will consider an alternative product if there's too much packaging
With two in five global consumers stating that too much packaging will see them choosing an alternative product, this is creating opportunities for brands to tap into more effective solutions that can assist in enhancing their eco-friendly and sustainable credentials.
Apart from sustainability credentials, compressed deodorants also tap into the on-the-go behavior of today’s time-scarce consumer.
Smaller packaging solutions that contain the same amount of fragrance as a full-sized product create a much more portable deodorant solution, appealing to consumers who are constantly on the move and need easy-to-carry products in order to facilitate application outside of the home.
Therefore, with compact deodorants having succeeded in offering effective solutions for increasingly eco-conscious consumers while also delivering added convenience through more portable, easy-to-carry packaging, it is likely that this trend will continue to gain traction and greater innovation engagement going forward through interest from a wide range of consumers.
Across the wider deodorants space, consumers are now looking beyond the hygiene aspect of deodorant products, and one third of global consumers agree that sensory benefits are influential in their product choices within the personal hygiene space.
The influence that the fragrance category has on the deodorants space is growing, catering to demand for more complex and exciting scents to use on the skin that have traditionally been confined to perfumes.
This is also representative of the blurring of category lines being seen across the personal care space. Innovation examples of this trend include Pure Lightness Perfumed Deo by Adidas for Women, recently launched in Malaysia.