UK study shows that personal care is still main driver for aerosols

The report is issued by UK-based British Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association (BAMA), and demonstrates that overall the number of aerosols fillings increased by 3.3 per cent last year.

The association said that the performance was particularly strong in 2010, despite the backdrop of difficult trading conditions and the fact that the retail market in the country has been very quiet.

“The 2010 figures are consistent with previous years, with personal care still the major driver in the UK. The sector also continues to show resilience overall, despite a difficult economic climate,”​ said Sur Rogers, director of BAMA.

In the personal care category this growth is even more pronounced, with hairsprays and hair mousses being highlighted as the main driving forces to growth within the entire category, up by 19.4 per cent, from 68 million tons in 2009, to 81.7 million tons in 2010.

Hair care, shaving and sun care lead the way​

Other categories within the personal care segment that also showed significant growth included shaving products, up 5.4 per cent, from 187.6 million units, and the new but fast-growing category of sun care, which rose 7 per cent to 43,000 units.

The associations has stressed that the findings of the report do not necessarily represent the exact retail trends in the UK, as it only refers to the number of aerosols manufactured in the country, a significant percentage of which is then exported.

However, the findings do underline the fact that the hair care sector is increasingly turning to aerosols, particularly for styling products, and that this is also a global trend for the category.

Manufacturing returning to the UK​

Rogers also pointed out the increased production figures also underline the fact that there is a continuing trend for the manufacturing process to be sourced in the UK, as opposed to developing markets.

“We have seen companies moving filling back to the UK from China and Eastern Europe and it is pleasing to note that, despite a larger contract filler ceasing to operate in the UK, 2010 fillings still increased,”​ said Rogers.

The association also notes the success of its recycling campaign in the report, citing the fact that 78 per cent of local authorities in the UK have now taken on recycling this kind of dispenser.