Cosmetic enhancement

Last year's launch of the Colgate 360 deg, a toothbrush that features a textured tongue cleaner to remove odour-causing bacteria, is typical of the kind of NPD taking place in the oral-hygiene sector. Although the market is mature, comprising products that most consumers already use, such innovation has fuelled growth. Consumers are no longer motivated solely by the health benefits of oral care; cosmetic products, such as those offering whiter teeth, are exploiting their desire for Hollywood smiles and attracting a younger audience in a market that is expected to grow 12% by 2010.

The oral-hygiene sector is being driven by consumers' desire for sparkling white teeth, with the consequence that they are spending more money on products promising them a gleaming smile.

As a result, manufacturers have been investing in NPD across all categories in the sector, including toothbrushes, mouthwashes, toothpastes and ancillary products such as floss.

In 2005, the market was worth ?616m, having grown by 5% over the previous two years, according to Mintel. Given the maturity of the market and the high levels of penetration — nine out of 10 consumers use toothpaste — this is an impressive performance.

While the toothpaste category is the biggest within the sector, accounting for 49.5% of the market, the value of standard products has decreased; those offering added benefits, such as whitening qualities, have performed better.

As the emphasis of added benefits has shifted from oral-hygiene properties, such as tartar control, to beauty, the products have begun to appeal to younger consumers. This shift has also added value to the market, as such items sell at higher prices.

In line with trends across other personal-hygiene sectors, women are more likely than men to use oral-hygiene products such as powered brushes and mouthwashes.