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Sub-Saharan African Hair Care Consumer 2012
A 100m strong consumer market is looking for better quality haircare products
Unique and different hair styling regimes in Africa create opportunities for product formulators
The sub-Saharan African haircare market is growing strongly
Relaxing hair chemically, attaching hair pieces to hair and then applying styling products to both the relaxed hair and the hair pieces may sound a tad complicated. But these are the haircare regimes followed in sub-Saharan Africa and they present a challenge to the beauty industry.
Strong economic growth rates for more than a decade have created a large consumer class in sub-Saharan Africa. The precise number varies from a low of 30 million to a high of 313 million consumers, according to exactly how that middle class is defined.
However, what is not disputed is that personal appearance is ranked very highly by increasingly affluent Africans. Research, recently conducted in sub Saharan African countries by Diagonal Reports, shows that spending on haircare has increased in double digits. All suppliers interviewed in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa reported significant growth. Indeed, one wholesaler in Lagos noted that sales had increased by a factor of 10 over a 30 month period. This pattern is expected to continue.
Demand is booming because African women primarily use hair design to transform their appearance, unlike Caucasians or Asians who rely more on skincare to ring a change. In contrast to mature western beauty markets which are brand-saturated, sub-Saharan African consumers are dissatisfied with what is on offer.
African consumers believe their type of hair is uniquely prone to damage and requires a significant investment in products and labour to keep it in a healthy condition, and to achieve the desired style.
The most popular styles involve chemically relaxed hair and African styling. The latter includes braiding, dreadlocks, and creating elaborate hair designs with add ons (e.g. dry pieces, extensions and wigs)
These complicated regimes necessitate a wider range of products, especially stylants and treatments and, therefore, greater expenditure. This pattern is repeated in multicultural markets elsewhere. For example, African Americans (US) and Afro Caribbeans (UK) spend more per capita on haircare than their Caucasian counterparts.
Damaged hair is an everyday reality for many Africans. Certain practices - the regular alternating and mixing of different styles - increase the potential for damage. Chemicals can dry hair, make it break and styling methods weaken hair by pulling on it.
These haircare regimes have major implications for manufacturers. To be successful haircare suppliers must offer products in all the most popular categories. Currently, many of the biggest companies neither offer weaves and braids, nor the associated maintenance products. This means these companies and their brands are unknown to a very large segment of the population across sub-Saharan Africa and cannot share in this growing market.
African consumers are also becoming more sophisticated. They are more aware of the price / quality ratio and demand better quality products. As a Nairobi supplier explained, “Consumers have realized that very cheap products are not good quality.”
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Other African Beauty Market Reports
Professional Haircare Market Reports
Buy This Report
Afro-Brazilian Hair Care Market 2012
African American Hair Care USA 2011
UK Afro Caribbean Haircare Market 2011
Afro French Haircare Market 2011
Nigeria Haircare Market 2011
Ghana Haircare Market 2011
South African Haircare Market
Kenya Haircare Market 2011
Sub-Saharan African Hair Care Consumer 2012
Sub-Saharan African Hair Care Market 2012
April 2012A 100m strong consumer market is looking for better quality haircare products
Unique and different hair styling regimes in Africa create opportunities for product formulators
The sub-Saharan African haircare market is growing strongly
Relaxing hair chemically, attaching hair pieces to hair and then applying styling products to both the relaxed hair and the hair pieces may sound a tad complicated. But these are the haircare regimes followed in sub-Saharan Africa and they present a challenge to the beauty industry.
Strong economic growth rates for more than a decade have created a large consumer class in sub-Saharan Africa. The precise number varies from a low of 30 million to a high of 313 million consumers, according to exactly how that middle class is defined.
However, what is not disputed is that personal appearance is ranked very highly by increasingly affluent Africans. Research, recently conducted in sub Saharan African countries by Diagonal Reports, shows that spending on haircare has increased in double digits. All suppliers interviewed in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa reported significant growth. Indeed, one wholesaler in Lagos noted that sales had increased by a factor of 10 over a 30 month period. This pattern is expected to continue.
Demand is booming because African women primarily use hair design to transform their appearance, unlike Caucasians or Asians who rely more on skincare to ring a change. In contrast to mature western beauty markets which are brand-saturated, sub-Saharan African consumers are dissatisfied with what is on offer.
African consumers believe their type of hair is uniquely prone to damage and requires a significant investment in products and labour to keep it in a healthy condition, and to achieve the desired style.
The most popular styles involve chemically relaxed hair and African styling. The latter includes braiding, dreadlocks, and creating elaborate hair designs with add ons (e.g. dry pieces, extensions and wigs)
These complicated regimes necessitate a wider range of products, especially stylants and treatments and, therefore, greater expenditure. This pattern is repeated in multicultural markets elsewhere. For example, African Americans (US) and Afro Caribbeans (UK) spend more per capita on haircare than their Caucasian counterparts.
Damaged hair is an everyday reality for many Africans. Certain practices - the regular alternating and mixing of different styles - increase the potential for damage. Chemicals can dry hair, make it break and styling methods weaken hair by pulling on it.
These haircare regimes have major implications for manufacturers. To be successful haircare suppliers must offer products in all the most popular categories. Currently, many of the biggest companies neither offer weaves and braids, nor the associated maintenance products. This means these companies and their brands are unknown to a very large segment of the population across sub-Saharan Africa and cannot share in this growing market.
African consumers are also becoming more sophisticated. They are more aware of the price / quality ratio and demand better quality products. As a Nairobi supplier explained, “Consumers have realized that very cheap products are not good quality.”
-------
Other African Beauty Market Reports
Professional Haircare Market Reports
Buy This Report