Usage of self-tan products is declining in the UK as 13% of Brits have used self-tan products in 2015 [1], compared to 17% in the previous year, a new research from Mintel reveals [2].
Actually, Brits seems to opt for a more natural glow since it is not just self-tan usage that is declining! Over the same time period, usage of gradual tanners has fallen from 15% to 13% in 2015. Meanwhile, in-salon services have taken a tumble too, with usage of a sunbed or tanning salon dropping from 11% to 8%, and the proportion of consumers having a salon spray with tan dipping two percentage-points over the past year to just 7%.
“This trend was highlighted at London Fashion Week SS16, where a number of shows featured models wearing more natural base make-up with a dewy sheen on natural-looking faces, accompanied with mascara-free eye lashes,” says Jack Duckett, Consumer Lifestyles Analyst at Mintel.
The waning interest in the self-tan category is further highlighted by Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD), which finds that self-tan products accounted for a declining share of suncare launch activity between 2012-15. Less than one quarter (22%) of suncare products launched in the UK in 2015 [3] were self-tanning products, compared to over one third (37%) of launches in 2012.
However, those Brits who are choosing to apply the product are increasingly trading up to more expensive varieties. Indeed, value sales of self-tan are expected to increase from £62 million in 2014 to £66 million in 2015, partly driven by a rise in unit price. The average price paid per unit is predicted to rise by 1.8% in the year to December 2015 to £7.10 (compared to £6.96 in 2014).
“Although self tan usage continues to decline, the market is projected to enjoy buoyant value sales in 2015 thanks to the launch of a number of more premium variants during the year. A number of self-tan brands have also sought to capitalise on the increasing awareness of sun safety, promoting products as offering a safe tan,” Jack Duckett adds.
