Report Sees Rise in Chinese Natural Hair Care
Posted: August 8, 2012
This story was originally reported by GCI magazine, Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine's sister publication.
A Mintel report has seen a rise in the natural hair care market in China due to recent product safety scandals associated with toxic or carcinogenic chemical ingredients. As a result, Chinese consumers are becoming more cautious when it comes to product choice. Indeed, according to the latest Mintel research, 81% of urban Chinese consumers say they prefer to buy natural hair care products and 10% rate the presence of natural ingredients as their most important purchase influence. In 2011, almost 64% of new hair care products released in China touted a "natural" claim, while in the global market, products with the same claim accounted for 50% of launch activity.
“The heightened level of awareness that has arisen from several high-profile safety scares in recent years has taken its toll on the rate of product development in several hair care categories, but hair colorants and styling agents were hit especially hard," said Jiang Xinyi, research analyst, Mintel. "The industry has responded with an increase in all-natural products. Now that China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine requires the cosmetics industry to adopt a practice of full ingredient labeling, bringing China toward being in line with international practice, hair care consumers can enjoy increased product transparency and feel better about the safety of the products they use in their hair.”
Meanwhile, with 87% of Chinese middle class consumers claiming that they “tend to go for premium rather than standard goods or services,” the market for premium hair care products looks positive. However, the situation sharply reverses when Mintel asked for their opinions about expensive hair care products. Nearly two thirds (61%) agree that more expensive hair care products do not necessarily work better than lower priced ones.
“Our research has uncovered a gap between Chinese consumer attitudes toward premium goods and their ideas about hair care products," said Xinyi. "It indicates that most respondents have not yet recognized that advanced hair care brands deliver on a premium, and are therefore unlikely to trade up in this category at present.".