Indian men seeking greater grooming comfort

According to the report, Indian consumers are seeking products that meet specific requirements caused by their life stage.

The research identifies key market issues such as rising disposable income and the increasingly complex grooming routines of Indian men as key drivers behind recent market changes.

Analysts behind the report predict that pre-shave and post-shave cosmetics products will increase and take market share from the aftershave and colognes category.

"For example, young consumers are looking for single pack razors and shaving gels/foams, while older consumers look for traditional pre-shave creams from established brands,"​ they state.

A change in gender behaviour​

The researchers say a change in gender behaviour has led Indian men to seek greater grooming comfort while shaving at a low price.

Meanwhile, they find that companies are targeting value for money conscious consumers with cheaper variants of their products. Although these categories are growing rapidly in local currency terms, exchange rate fluctuations have led to a more variable growth in US dollar terms.

Another key point highlighted in the report is India's young population, with a little over half of the country's population under 30 years old. This presents an opportunity for marketers to target this group with new and innovative launches.

Along the same lines, social media (e.g. Facebook) is set to play a key role in the future growth of the sector, driven by younger consumers. Gillette is currently the leading brand among all the categories of male toiletries in India.

The packaging factor​

The report also presents key market figures in relation to packaging. The disposable razors and blades category accounted for over 98.5% of the total number of packs used in the Indian male toiletries sector in 2012, driving significant demand of rigid plastic blister packs, paper and board wrappers, and flexible packaging bags/sachets.

It predicts that the increasing use of pre- and post- shave cosmetics will drive demand of bottle, aerosol, and tube pack types; these are forecast to grow at a CAGR of over 4% between 2012 and 2017. Post-shave cosmetics will record the highest CAGR of all categories, at 16.5% between 2012 and 2017.