United Kingdom (UK) Bath and Shower Market Overview, 2029

From botanical-infused bubble baths to eco-friendly shower gels, the UK's bath and shower market is bubbling over with innovation, driven by a rising wave of wellness and eco-conscious consumers. As a basic necessity for personal health and hygiene, bath products have transformed from simple scrubbing soaps to innovative bath salts and gels. The trend of aromatherapy has effectively supported the adoption of fragranced bathroom products based on the growing concerns related to body odor. Infused with essential oils and floral fragrances, body washes and bath bombs are in vogue as they provide a spa-like experience. On the other hand, a strong consumer demand for intimate hygiene products like Oriflame's 'Protecting Intimate Wash' in developed markets is going to further boost the growth of the market. Sustainability dominates the UK bath and shower products market with a driving force of consumer demand for eco-friendly, ethical, and green products. Brands are now embracing environmentally responsible practices such as the use of biodegradable ingredients, a reduction in plastic usage, and introduction of refillable or recyclable containers. Leading brands like Lush are setting an example in this industry with their "naked" products that remove the need for any packaging whatsoever. Other companies decrease their carbon footprint through responsible sourcing of raw materials and fair trade. Innovation in the UK bath and shower market is seen in terms of product formulations, packaging, and personalization. Waterless products, like solid shampoos, body washes, and concentrated formulas, are the new buzz, due to low water usage at time of production and longer shelf life. The COVID-19 pandemic gave a boost toward cleanliness and self-care, hence shower gels, soaps, and bath products for the purpose of relaxation added more sales to the books. In this space, consumers are increasingly looking towards natural and organic formulations as they avoid synthetic chemicals, parabens, and sulfates.

According to the research report "United Kingdom Bath and Shower Products Market Overview, 2029," published by Bonafide Research, the United Kingdom Bath and Shower Products market is anticipated to grow at more than 6% CAGR from 2024 to 2029. The UK bath and shower market has been pretty stable, with a great deal of consumers willing to spend on high-end and sustainable personal care products. Self-care will continue to grow in importance and with everyday life and more and more consumers turn to this eco-conscious category. A rising interest in natural and organic formulations also benefits the market. Brands have become more focused on transparent and ethical production practices. Niche, artisanal brands that provide unique product experiences alongside new innovations in personalized skincare and waterless products will also continue to widen the market further. In terms of trends in the UK bath and shower market, wellness-focused products, such as the satisfaction of well-being, complement the eco-conscious and eco-friendly formulations. The bulk of the focus would be on skincare solutions, which aim to meet the needs of customers. Consumer demand for relaxing, stress-relieving, and self-care products is on the rise. With convenience in placing an order for bath bombs, salts, and oils that provide a spa-like experience at home, there is nothing but growth in this trend. Along with this, consumers are demanding product types with natural ingredients. Consumers further vote for products made from chemical-free formulations. This is influencing product design as it is the case with the minimilistic beauty trend that recent years have been noting in relation to more simplistic, cleaner formulas and packaging as being premium. Primary drivers A prime enabler is the e wellness movement, which encompasses physical as well as mental health. More and more consumers are incorporating self-care regimes into their lives. The move toward natural and organic beauty care is another strong driver; consumers actively search for cleaner and chemical-free alternatives. SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has fueled strong and budding demand for personal cleansing products across the world. People have begun piling up these ordinary mass of consumer goods, and hygiene products are relatively among the scarce products in most retail stores.

The UK bath and shower products market has quite a lot of diversity. Products that are at the top of the list include bath soaps, body wash/shower gels, and bath additives. The soap segment is changing with an emphasis on using more natural and organic ingredients. The UK bath soap market will continue to grow gradually as people are becoming more conscious of personal hygiene and more environmentally friendly products. Liquid soaps and body washes compete with traditional bar soaps, where shoppers choose what has value in function and luxury. Innovations in formulation, as with the cold-pressed soaps that retain natural glycerin, are rapidly gaining popularity. Products often include the use of essential oils and herbal extracts and thus come up quite naturally as of interest to health-conscious buyers. Among the reasons for their popularity, variety and convenience are at the top. Branded as posh soap alternatives, Body Wash/Shower Gel carries moisturizing properties and other skin-related benefits. Many companies also strive towards sustainability, focusing on refillable packs to avoid plastic waste. The market is still going to continue growing because consumers are bound to seek products that are designed to enhance the bathing experience while decreasing negative environmental impact. The category of bath additives-bath bombs, salts, and oils-continues to grow really strongly. Bath bombs, incidentally, have become an indulgence among young consumers who look for relaxation and pamper their senses. Medicated bath additives also are doing great with therapeutic effects that treat skin problems and allow relaxation.

Bath and shower products in the UK are usually present in three main forms such as solids, liquids, and gels/jellies each offering something a little different in terms of product benefits and experience. The two basic types of solids are bar soaps and shower jellies. Bar soaps are the traditional cleaning agents made of a mixture of fats and oils admixed with an alkali to produce generous lather action for effective skin cleansing. They usually contain moisturizing ingredients like glycerin which prevent dryness of the skin. Shower jellies by LUSH is the fun version, either to be used as soap, crushed and used as a loofah for a foamy was. Shower jellies are usually scented using very potent fragrances and essential oils to create more sensory bathing experience. Liquid bath products range from form such as shower gels, body washes, or bubble baths. With their amazing ease of use and abundance in a variety of textures - rich, luxurious foams, and silky oils - shower gels are always a good idea. Noted brands Philosophy and Cowshed provide shower gels enhanced with high-quality essential oils that not only purify but also hydrate the skin during this cleansing process. Liquid is often more intensely fragrant than another liquid type because of its concentrated forms. These aim to give out a hearty lather and make sure the skin can feel refreshed and moisturized. Gels and jellies possess unique texture, whereby they somehow share the best features of both worlds, that is, being both solid and liquid. Shower gels have a different consistency from the traditional body washes, whereby they are thicker, hence distributing more specifically and in the right direction. Jellies can be applied straight to the skin or with a loofah for extra exfoliating effect. Brands like Bomb Cosmetics aim to use the most natural ingredients, making it as healthy for the skin as an experience that uplifts the whole body. This is a more indulgent product, perfect for using at home when a spa-like experience is desired.

The UK bath and shower products market is characterized by a broad range of distribution channels, primarily consisting of supermarkets, convenience stores, online stores, and others. Supermarkets are a one-stop shop because they offer to consumers wide ranges of products under a single roof, and the core essence of a supermarket is to attract customer patronage through convenience. They usually discount in bulk, which encourages customers to buy more popular items like shower gels and bar soaps. The wide ranges offered by supermarkets enable easy brand comparison for consumers, improving their shopping experience and, therefore contributing sales into this channel. While convenience stores may have only a fraction of the size compared to supermarkets, they play a great role in the distribution picture as convenience stores are designed for those customers who don't care about access, quick, and easy-to-reach customers that buy a bath or shower product. Convenience stores are designed for last-minute shoppers who might prefer not entering a larger retail environment. They don't have the range of products as supermarkets do, but their accessibility and the growing popularity of impulse buying keep them very competitive. Online stores have increased significantly with time. Acceleration in growth during the COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer buying behavior towards online shopping. With a single click, a consumer can browse a vast product variety, check the price, and avail their favorite online deals without even leaving their comfort zone. This channel is expected to expand further as more retailers increase their digital footprints and optimize user experiences through better logistics and customer service. The other channels include specialty retailers and DIY stores, which target niche markets or specific consumer needs. These channels often focus on premium or organic products to cater to a health-conscious customer with a concern for natural ingredients.



The UK bath and shower products market can be viewed in the multigenerational product selection for different end-users, which is women and men. Most bathroom and showering brands for females are experience-based, where their aim is towards the capability of skincare products. Some of the best-selling items include essential oils and natural ingredient body washes and gels. Brands like Dove dominate the consumer market in the UK with over 13 million users because of their emollience and gentle formulation, which is perfect for sensitive skin3. Women increasingly patronize premium products that give cleaning advantages and simultaneous therapeutic effects such as stress relief, nourishment, and skin treatment. Subsequently, this movement has translated into the demand for organic and ecologically friendly offers in tune with healthy lifestyles. By nudging the markets from a general lack of interest in personal grooming and self-care regimens, men's segments opened up rapidly. Men's bath products are flavored with refreshing fragrances and come in a variety of forms that help tackle specific needs for the skin. This is why shower gels, body scrubs, and specialty soap products targeting men's unique types of skin experienced increased sales due to rising popularity in male grooming. Brands innovate with masculine fragrances and packaging as an approach to this market, thereby increasing their market share.


Considered in this report
• Historic year: 2018
• Base year: 2023
• Estimated year: 2024
• Forecast year: 2029

Aspects covered in this report
• Bath & Shower market Outlook with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Activity
• By Product Type
• Bath Soaps
• Body Wash/Shower Gel
• Bath Additives

By Form
• Solids
• Liquids
• Gel/Jellies

By Distribution Channel
• Supermarkets
• Convenience Stores
• Online Stores
• Others

By End User
• Women
• Men

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary and secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and list the companies that are present in it. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual reports of companies, and government-generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources, primary research was conducted by conducting telephone interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducting trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this; we have started making primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting them in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us, we can start verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations, and organizations related to the Bath & Shower industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing and presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.