Shoppers struggling to make ends meet are cutting back on personal healthcare products including soap, hand wash and shower gel, new data demonstrates.
The latest analysis from retail experts Reapp reveals that sales of personal healthcare products from one well-known household brand have dropped by almost 14%*.
It comes despite prices falling across the personal healthcare category, with average prices down by over five per cent since February **.
Reapp Commercial Director James Lamplugh comments: “Our analysis of recent supermarket sales data indicates that the nation’s shoppers are still having to make tough decisions between household essentials.
“We are seeing significant sales drops in the personal healthcare category, despite these products experiencing price reductions, suggesting consumers are cutting back on products not deemed as essential as the cost of living crisis continues.”
This fall in sales of personal hygiene products follows a sharp decline in frozen pizza sales, also identified by Reapp.
Its data showed how sales plummeted by over a quarter (27%) with shoppers buying 2.3million fewer frozen pizzas than a year ago.
Amid the fresh veg crisis this spring, Reapp analysis also demonstrated how British shoppers were stocking up on frozen veg in time for their Sunday roasts, as well as minimising waste by seeking the cheaper option.
*Data from single personal healthcare brand from one UK Supermarket retailer – April to May 2023
**Data from single personal healthcare brand from one UK Supermarket retailer – February to May 2023