Usage down but value up for self-tanning products in the UK

Sales numbers are down but overall value is up for self-tanning products in the UK, according to new data from market analyst Mintel. 

The use of self-tanning products dropped from 17% in 2014, to 13% this year, the market analyst revealed. 

However, Mintel also found that consumers that do apply fake tan are opting for more costly products, causing value sales or self-tanners to rise from £62 million in the year ending 2014, to £66m in the year ending this month.

The average price of a self-tan was predicated to have risen by 1.8% by the end of this year, from £6.96 in 2014 to £7.10 in 2015. Women are twice as likely as men to use self-tan, with the figure 17% for women and 9% for men.

The use of self-tanning products is more common among younger consumers, with 21% of 16-34-year-olds saying they use these products, compared to 11% of 35-44-year-olds.

There were also certain regional variations, with consumers in London and the West Midlands most likely to use self-tan, with the figures at 16% and 18% respectively. Meanwhile, only 8% of consumers in the South East/East Anglia and 9% in the East Midlands use self-tan.

According to Mintel’s Global New Products Database, self-tan products also account for a smaller number of new launches in the suncare category than in the past, decreasing from 37% of new launches in 2012 to 22% in 2015.

Jack Duckett, consumer lifestyles analyst at Mintel, said: “The popularity of self-tanning products has declined substantially over the past year suggesting that the fashion for artificial tans is waning as people instead embrace a more natural look.”

The use of gradual tanners also declined, from 15% last year to 13% this year.