The men's razor market - United States

1.1 Definition and presentation

The men's shaver market is a sub-segment of the hygiene and beauty market for men. The razor is a device used by men mainly for shaving facial hair. The shaver market includes several segments:

• the straight razors (razors which can fold, used mainly by barbers)
• the electric razors
• the disposable razors (often in plastic material, for single usage)

The global razor market is expected to experience strong growth until 2025, driven mainly by a growing focus on men’s grooming and rising awareness among consumers related to personal hygiene. Nevertheless, different geographies display different usages of razors. For example, in Asia disposable razors are more frequently used, whilst developed countries use electric razors to a larger extent.

In the US, the razor market has been struggling as a result of consumer trends including the wider usage of beards, and increased competition from foreign actors and startups which puts downward pressure on prices and hence revenues.

The razor market is dominated by Gillette, a company with historical roots dating back to the 20^th century which is owned by Procter & Gamble.

Trends in the razor industry benefit from social media and the influence from celebrities, which often use hair styles requiring the use razors. In 2019, according to DSN, the three largest brands in the US included Harry’s, Gillette Venus, and Private Labels.