UK Health & Beauty Sector Report summary
August 2023
Period covered: Period covered: 02 – 29 July 2023
3 minute read
Note: This report summary is one or two months behind the current month as standard reporting practice. The content is indicative only and incomplete with certain data undisclosed. Become a member to access this data or take out a free 30 day membership trial now.
Health & Beauty Sales
Health & Beauty sales increased xx% YoY in July, against a xx% rise a year ago, according to the Retail Economics Retail Sales Index (value, non-seasonally adjusted).
Growth slowed on the previous month, underperforming the three-month average of xx%. Nevertheless, it remained the strongest performing non-food category in July.
Performance was influenced by several key drivers:
Dull and wet weather: a brief warm spell in early July was the only bright spot in a dull and wet month. Average rainfall was significantly ahead of July norms making it the xxxx wettest July on record and the wettest July for xx years. Average temperatures were also below typical levels during the month (below 20°c).
Summer travel: Sun protection was still in demand for those consumers travelling to warmer climates during the summer months with parts of the continent seeing record temperatures.
Record pay growth: The latest data shows that regular pay recorded the highest rate of growth since modern records began in 2001 (+7.8% YoY in Q2).
Inflation: Slowing levels of inflation provided a welcome boost to households. But some items within the health and beauty basket remain elevated including face moisturiser, deodorant and sunscreen which all recorded double-digit annual price increases.
Rain dampens footfall
July’s washout conditions and increased discounting supported a surge in online spending which rose by xx% YoY – the best result since April 2021.
Conversely, footfall fell by 0.3% between June and July following a strong monthly rise of 3.7% in June.
This marked the first time that July’s footfall was lower than June’s since MRI Springboard started publishing its data in 2009.
High street footfall was adversely impacted, falling 1.7% on the previous month while shopping centres and retail parks recorded a rise as shoppers tried to escape the rain.
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Consumers shopped at retail parks and shopping centres to avoid the rain in July
Source: Springboard
