Research and Markets released a recent report, Haircare–UK, giving an overview of the British hair care market. According to the report, products amounted to EUR 1.4 billion (approximately US$1.7 billion) in 2004, 7 percent higher than in 1999. Shampoos represented approximately one-third of market value, with styling products reaching almost 28 percent and conditioners and colorants nearly one-fifth each.
The major market trend reported has been for manufacturers to add value by more-specific segmentation, with variants for all hair types and hair colors, variants with a range of added benefits, many of which have been inspired by skin care—relaxing, moisturizing, repairing and emphasis on key ingredients, whether "scientific" or "natural."
This hypersegmentation also is said to follow current social and cultural trends towards individualism. For example, amongt European men covered by this report, British men register the highest penetration rate for conditioner (29 percent) and hair gel, mousse and spray (32 percent), implying further potential to develop male-specific product lines.
