Aerosols keep it personal

Growing awareness of the flexibility of the aerosol package has seen brand owners extending product ranges to include aerosols, taking advantage of the convenience, portability and hygiene benefits aerosols provide, allowing for product ranges to be expanded in some sub categories.

One particular stand-out product is dry shampoo which, although having been around for quite some time, has experienced a surge, thanks to a combination of better formulations, better understanding of user needs and improved marketing. Dry shampoos continue to grow and, as part of this trend marketers are developing full styling ranges to complement the shampoo spray. Dry shampoo itself has developed new stock keeping units for products that help users build volume into their hair style. These have been developed for different hair colours and types, in much the same way as traditional shampoos have developed over the years. One of the most interesting new products in this category is a dry shampoo with conditioner that is available in small, travel packs as well as in larger cans for use at home.

As a part of the innovation we are seeing in the aerosol sector, there is significant work being done to investigate ingredients from renewable sources and the possibility to concentrate products. Both may well require changes to dispensing technology to give the same consumer experience. There has also been significant ligh weighting of, in particular, the aluminium cans used for most personal care aerosols. Through a combination of new alloys and different manufacturing processes, can makers have been able to produce cans of the strength required to guarantee consumer safety but using up to 20% less material.

On a broader scale, the future of aerosols exposes complexities that all companies involved in the personal care sector need to start thinking about and build into their long-term business plans. In 2015, our trade association worked with research company Forum for the Future, who were appointed to research and assess the many issues relating to the aerosol industry.

For the personal care sector specifically, deodorants, body sprays, antiperspirants and shaving products will continue to dominate, but there seems to be more opportunity for the growth of premium products. Aerosols offer a unique opportunity to give consumers the WOW factor often missing from other packaging formats. The formulation can foam, it can be dispensed as a gel, a post foaming gel or a cream. It can crackle and pop when applied to the skin. It can cool or heat when used, all in a package that can’t be spilled and that applies the product exactly where you want it to go. Overall steady growth in filling figures despite a small drop of less than 1% in 2016, a continued high level of aerosol innovation, which draws on the pressing issues of sustainability and waste, alongside a firm framework from our trade association in the form of the Future of Aerosols 2 Toolkit means the table is set for a positive future in the personal care sector.

Amy Falvey, Membershipv & Communications Manager BAMA, Stevenage, UK www.bama.co.uk