0705_PersonalGrooming

Health, Beauty & Personal Grooming: a global Nielsen consumer reportconsumer report

March2007

Contents

A global Nielsen consumer report on personal grooming, and the use of health and beauty products and treatments 1 – 2

Twenty-somethings, Brazilians, Portuguese and Greeks the most dedicated to style 3

Looking good? Is it for you, your partner, or to find a new one? 4 – 5

Metrosexuals – it’s OK to invest in looking good 5

A bad hair day is out of the question when it comes to looking good 6

If money were no object, the ultimate indulgence: body massages, new hairdos and shiny white teeth! 7

Skin lightening big business for China, Asia 8

Supermarkets are the most popular channel for health and beauty products, followed by chemist/pharmacies/drugstores 9

Price by far the biggest influence on choice, followed by product’s promise and brand 10

Mass market products just as good as premium, expensive alternatives 11

Abbreviated countries 12

About the survey 12

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In a society seemingly obsessed with beautiful people and celebrity, where unrealistically thin models strut catwalks and airbrushed photographic images adorn billboards and magazine covers, over two thirds of consumers the world over agree the pressure to look good is much greater that it was in our parents’ day. But that doesn’t mean consumers are prepared to spend more to enhance their appearance, or go out of their way to look stylish all the time, according to a recent Nielsen survey.

The Nielsen Company surveyed 25,408 internet users in 46 markets from Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and the Middle East about their purchase of health and beauty products, where they bought them, what influenced their purchase, and whether mass market produced hair, skin and cosmetic products were just as good as premium expensive alternatives. Nielsen also asked consumers about their personal grooming habits, whether they felt pressured to look good, what and how often they invested in beauty treatments, and what they would spend, and on what, if money were no object.

A global Nielsen consumer report on personal grooming, and the use of health and beauty products and treatments

Nearly four in five (79%) of the world’s internet consumers claim to purchase health and beauty products, led by 93 percent of the Spanish. At the other end of the scale, however, three of the four Nordic countries topped the rankings for those that claim not to buy any health and beauty products, lead by 43 percent of Norwegians, 41 percent of Swedes and 40 percent of Danes.

2

Th e Nielsen survey found that globally, nearly three quarters of consumers agree the pressure to look good today is greater than it was in our parents’ day, lead by over four in fi ve Vietnamese (88%), French and Portuguese (85%). Th e pressure was particularly felt by more than three quarters of respondents in their late teens and early twenties.

And while the pressure is being universally felt, over two thirds of respondents claimed not to spend much more than they used to on beauty products and treatments, lead by four in fi ve Finns, Canadians and Hungarians.

Teens and those in their 20s claimed to spend more than they used to on beauty products and treatments, while at the other end of the scale, the older you get, it seems, the less you spend. Th e Nielsen survey found that the older the respondent, the less interested they were in spending on products and treatments to enhance their appearance, or delay the ageing process.

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While three quarters of consumers felt under pressure to look good, less than half said they tried to look stylish at all times. Women were evenly split on the topic, while 58 percent of those in the 21 – 24 age group were most likely to maintain their own standards of style. The older the respondent, the less inclined they were to try and look stylish all the time.

Twenty-somethings, Brazilians, Portuguese and Greeks the most dedicated to style

Around the world, 87 percent of Brazilians claimed to try to look stylish at all times, followed by the Portuguese (79%) and Greeks (76%). At the other end of the style scale, four in five people in Hong Kong said they didn’t try to look stylish at all times.

4

Th e Nielsen survey found that people invest in personal grooming for many reasons, but mostly they do it for their own sense of well-being. Th is was particularly the case for 73 percent of women and for people aged 21 - 29.

Th ree in fi ve consumers said they invested in personal grooming to feel better about themselves, while just half said they did it to look good for their partner, and only two in fi ve said they did it to attract one! 18 – 34 year olds were most likely to look good for the sake of their partners, with such an inclination tailing off the older the respondent! And three in fi ve 15 – 24 year olds work hard at looking good in the hope it will help them attract a partner. Over the age of 40, just under one third try to look good to attract a partner.

Looking good? Is it for you, your partner, or to fi nd a new one?

5

Th e Brazilians and Portuguese make most eff ort to look stylish at all times because it makes them feel better about themselves (89% and 85% respectively)…while the Vietnamese (81%) and Indonesians (78%) do it for their partners, and the Greeks are doing it either for their partner (80%) …or in the hope of fi nding a new one in the process (73%)!

In the Nielsen survey, more than four in fi ve consumers agreed that, today, men are more interested in personal grooming than they used to be. Th is was particularly felt by 94 percent of respondents in Greece, Portugal and South Africa.

Metrosexuals who spend time and money on looking good were perfectly ok for close to four in fi ve consumers globally, getting the big thumbs up from New Zealanders (92%), Danes and South Africans (91%), Chinese and French (90%). One third of 15 – 17 year olds disagreed, however!

Metrosexuals – it’s OK to invest in looking good

6

To maintain or enhance their looks, two thirds of the world’s consumers focus on taking care of their hair - in conjunction with a daily skincare regime and regular facial treatment – and if money were no object, they would continue to care for their hair, but would spend more on body massages and teeth-whitening.

According to the world’s consumers, having a bad hair day is simply not an option when it comes to looking ones best. Sixty-four percent of consumers invest in daily, weekly or monthly hair care, compared to just over half (53%) of those who follow a similar skincare regime. When broken down by gender, however, nearly three quarters of women considered a regular skin care regime to be as important as regular hair care when it comes to looking well-groomed.

A bad hair day is out of the question when it comes to looking good

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When it comes to what consumers would spend more on if money were no object, the genders were in agreement that body massages would be the ultimate indulgence for just over half (54%), and particularly for three quarters (76%) of South Africans, 73 percent of Austrians, 71 percent of Czechs, Hungarians and Chileans… and 60 percent of women and 30-somethings.

If money were no object, the ultimate indulgence: body massages, new hairdos and shiny white teeth!

Beyond massages, women were more likely to opt for a facial treatment (57%) and more hair care (55%). Men, on the other hand, opted for teeth whitening as their second most aspired-to indulgence (46%), ahead of hair care (40%).

While not a beauty treatment many people claimed to indulge in regularly except in China, where 38 percent claimed to do it daily, teeth whitening was particularly popular – if money were no object – for around two thirds of Chileans, South Africans and South Koreans…. and more than half the teens and those in their 20s.

8

85 percent of people never invest in skin lightening, and three quarters never bother with tanning (spray, lotion or sunbed). Moreover, approximately two thirds of respondents don’t currently bother with eyebrow or eyelash tinting, exfoliation/scrubs, teeth whitening or body massages.

Skin lightening is a particularly popular beauty treatment in Asia, where traditionally, darker skins have been associated with people who work outdoors, and lighter skins are considered more sophisticated and urbane.

Skin lightening big business for China, Asia

Base: All respondents

KOR TW PH CHN UAE

52

3328 26 23 23 22 21 20 20

HK TH MAL JAP INDO

ge: if money was no object I would spend on Skin Lightening Top 10

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If money was no object I would spend more on

Across Asia, 30 percent of Chinese use skin lightening products either daily or weekly, followed by 20 percent of Taiwanese, and 18 percent of Japanese and Hong Kongers. However, if money were no object, 52 percent of Koreans would lighten their skin, followed by 28 percent of Filipinos, a further 26 percent of Chinese and 23 percent of Hong Kongers.

9

Over half the world’s internet consumers purchase their health and beauty products from a Supermarket or a Chemist/Pharmacy/Drugstore. Supermarkets are particularly popular with the under 34s, with upward of 60 percent of those aged 16 – 34 purchasing through this channel.

Supermarkets are the most popular channel for health and beauty products, followed by chemist/pharmacies/drugstores

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Six out of 10 consumers consider Price the main infl uence on their choice of health and beauty products, followed by the Product’s Promise and Brand for just under half.

Price is the most important consideration for younger respondents, particularly the 15-17 year olds. Th e Product’s Promise was a greater infl uence for the 21-24 age group, along with the Recommendation of a Friend.

Price by far the biggest infl uence on choice, followed by product’s promise and brand

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When asked whether mass market hair care, skin care and cosmetic products were just as good as premium, expensive alternatives, the general consensus was yes! Th is was particularly strongly felt by the Dutch.

Mass market products just as good as premium, expensive alternatives

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About the Survey46 Markets Covered: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Thailand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UAE, UK, US and Vietnam.

About The Nielsen CompanyThe Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek), trade shows and the newspaper sector (Scarborough Research). The privately held company has more than 42,000 employees and is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.

Legend Countries

AUS Australia ARG Argentina AT Austria BEL Belgium BRA Brazil CAN Canada CHI Chile CHN China CZE Czech Republic DEN Denmark EST Estonia FIN Finland FRA France GER Germany GRE Greece HK Hong Kong

Legend Countries

HUN Hungary IND India INDO Indonesia IRE Ireland IT Italy JAP Japan KOR South Korea LAT Latvia LIT Lithuania MAL Malaysia MEX Mexico NL Netherlands NZ New Zealand NOR Norway PH Philippines PO Poland

Legend Countries

POR Portugal RUS Russia SG Singapore SA South Africa SP Spain SWE Sweden SWI Switzerland TW Taiwan TH Thailand TR Turkey UAE United Arab Emirates UK United Kingdom US United States of America VNM Vietnam

Abbreviated countries

Copyright © 2007 The Nielsen Company

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