The toothpaste market - France

1.2 A growing global market

The global market for oral care products was valued at US$**.* billion in ****, or *% of the overall hygiene and cosmetics market. It is a market in continuous expansion (***) and is expected to reach $US**.* billion in ****, equal to an average annual growth of *.*% over the period **** to ****. 

Market size oral products World, ****-****, in $US billion Source: ****

Awareness of oral problems is the primary growth driver in this globally mature market. The Asia-Pacific region in particular is experiencing the strongest growth due to new lifestyle habits.

Finally, the rise in the overall level of household income has a direct impact on the trend in this market [***].

1.3 A French market dominated by global brands

The market for personal hygiene products is in decline with a decrease in domestic demand in France for the third consecutive year (***). Nevertheless, oral hygiene products held up well, thanks in particular to the toothpaste segment [***].

The oral care branch accounted for *.*% of total personal care product billings in ****. 

Breakdown of personal hygiene product invoicing, by category France, ****, in % Source: ****

The oral product market sales in supermarkets and hypermarkets amounted to €***.** million between June **** and June ****, down *.*% in value compared to the previous ** months (***) [***]. Supermarkets also account for about two thirds of the sales of oral products, so that the overall toothpaste market in France was valued at €*** million for the fiscal year ****-****.

The toothpaste market grew at a slower rate than the toothbrush market, at *% in value between **** and ****. This growth was driven by innovation in the supply by the market leaders [***].

Toothpaste drives the oral products category's growth, its share of the dental market being superior to **%.

Breakdown of oral products by value France, ****, in % Source : Points de vente   The French market has very few French brands, making the market relatively concentrated. The majority of production is carried out by the production sites of the subsidiaries of major ...

1.4 Summary of market determinants

The table below summarises the main determinants of toothpaste market activity; the evolution given for each factor is an assessment of the impact (***) in the coming years on the toothpaste market.

Source: ****

1.5 Covid-19 pandemic slightly affected the market

Covid-** and its numerous daily-life restrictions which maintained most of French people at home, resulted in a decrease in the overall level of oral hygene. Indeed, the fact of not going to work for most people made them "forget" about their oral habits, and the toothpaste category itself having has declined in value by -**% during this period [***].

Impact of Covid-** on the toothpaste market France, ****-****, in millions of euros LSA conso & Points de vente

However, in ****, the market has slowly grown in value at a rate of +*,*%. [***]

2.1 The French lag behind in dental hygiene

In spite of the many messages about oral hygiene, the French are below the recommended frequency for brushing teeth.  

**% brush once a day, whilst only **% brush three times a day. The **-** year olds are the most assiduous. On average, they consume three tubes of toothpaste per year when five is the ideal number [***].

Number of people using toothpaste France, ****-****, in '*** users Source: ****

As shown in the graph above, the number of people using toothpaste more than twice a day has remained stable. However, there has been a increase in the number of people who brush less than once a day.

According to a survey carried out by L’Union Française pour la Santé Bucco-Dentaire along with les laboratoires Pierre Fabre Oral Care, French people do not follow the essential recommendations for good oral health.  

the bad habits of the French in figures France, ****, in % Next dentiste

These figures are rather alarming according to dental specialists. In addition to that and according to that same study, the French do not take into account the warning signs of periodontal disease. **% of those surveyed said their gums bleed from time to time and **% said they bleed every time they ...

2.2 The French craze for natural and technological products

Toothpastes with an organic label have seen the greatest growth in mass distribution channels in France. At the end of May ****, the natural and organic offerings showed a **% growth in value compared to the previous year, and **% for the Bio segment alone [***].

Brands like Léa Nature are thus a must in this market, although market leaders such as Unilever and Haenkel are also positioned in this market segment. Henkel is the market leader with its range of products and services Bio Vademecum.

According to the graph below, the organic segment in cosmetics in general has been growing since ****. 

Penetration rate of organic cosmetics France, ****-****, in % Source: ****

The technological contribution is even more important in the toothbrush market, with electric brushes of which Oral B is the leader. This segment performed well in March ****, with a *.*% growth in sales value over the year compared to the previous twelve months [***]. This market is also impacted by the boom in organic toothbrushes with bamboo handles. Overall, however, the manual toothbrush segment is in slight decline.

2.3 Criteria for choosing a tube of toothpaste

"Classical" toothpaste remains the most used by French consumers in **** according to a report by Kantar Media. More than ** million French people used it during the year, a number that is lower than in **** (***).

This decrease is observed for all types of toothpaste, with the exception of organic products. The number of users of organic toothpaste has indeed slightly increased in **** (***).

Among the top-selling types of toothpaste are multi-protections, the sensitive gums and total care.

Number of people using toothpaste, by type France, **** & ****, '*** users Source: ****

2.4 Les marques de dentifrice préférées des Français

Le graphique ci-dessous a été obtenu à partir du sondage mené par OpinionWay au sujet des marques préférées des Français en mars ****. Il s'agit des réponses des sondés à la question "aimez-vous telle marque de dentifrice ?" pour chaque marque, le pourcentage correspond à la part de sondés ayant répondu "oui". 

Signal est la marque de dentifrice préférée des Français, **,*% des Français déclarent apprécier cette marque. Sanogyl est la marque de dentifrice la moins appréciée des sondés, seuls **,*% d'entre eux décalrent aimer cette marque. 

Signal vise une clientèle assez large puisqu'elle propose des gammes très variées : enfants, adultes, produits écologiques, brosses à dents électriques... Sanogyl est une marque de dentifrice spécialisée dans les soins de gencives.

Les marques de dentifrice préférées des Français France, mars ****, en % Source: ****

Le graphique ci-dessous présente une comparaison du niveau d'appréciation de * marques de dentifrice en fonction de l'âge des répondants. Pour Signal, ce niveau décroît avec l'âge des répondants, il passe ainsi de **,*% pour les personnes âgés de ** à ** ans à **,*% pour les personnes âgées ...

3.1 Overview of the French toothpaste industry

The French toothpaste industry represented *.*% of European production in ****. This places France in fourth place behind Germany (***).

The toothpaste market is a mature market in France. Manufacturers, mainly the leaders, are constantly using communication and marketing campaigns to strengthen the attractiveness and image of their brands. Such events often include celebrities to publicise their new products.

Most of the companies in the market are diversified into personal care, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. The French toothpaste market is dominated by giants in the consumer goods industry such as Unilever (***), Pierre Fabre, Cattier, Weleda and Darphin. In ****, Unilever was the leader of the oral hygiene market in France and held one-third of the market share. [***]

As can be seen in the graph below, the brand Signal is by far the most used brand in France with more than ** million consumers in ****, followed by Oral-B with close to ** million.

Brands of toothpaste ranked by number of users France, **** & ****, '*** users Source: ****

This is particularly related to commitment to the brand of toothpaste in France. In ****, according to the MPF index (***), ***% of respondents said they liked the Signal brand and **% liked the Colgate brand [***].

3.2 Production for the national and European markets

French production is mainly intended for the domestic market (***).

In ****, French exports of toothpaste accounted for €*** million. The main destinations of toothpaste exports are the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium.

  Main destination countries for toothpaste exports France, ****, % Source: ****

French imports totalled €*** million, up by *.*% compared to ****. Moreover, they come mainly from Germany, Poland, Slovakia and the United Kingdom [***].

Main supplying countries for toothpaste France, ****, en % Source: ****

3.3 Production processes and environmental considerations

Composition and production stages

As far as the industrial production of the product is concerned, all toothpastes generally contain the same ingredients:

abrasives detergents binding agents dyestuffs artificial flavours antiseptics preservatives humectants (***) therapeutic agents to combat caries or to whiten teeth, for example. The most common compound is sodium fluoride. Toothpastes usually, but not always, contain sodium laurylsulphate or another type of sulphate.

The production process can be segmented into several phases :

Investment in research and development, upstream of production in order to develop new products and to test whether they are fit for consumption; The weighing and mixing of ingredients; The filling of the tubes; Product quality tests based on samples taken from each batch; Packaging and distribution.

Some notions related to the environment

Products of natural or organic origin have become so popular on the toothpaste market in recent years because toothpaste can contain elements that are harmful to the environment.

First of all, the high quantity of fluorine in some toothpastes, once discharged into the waste water (***) are a source of contamination of these waters, and of an increase in sewage sludge which is toxic for the environment.

The preservative content of some toothpastes can also interact negatively ...

3.4 A distribution essentially based on supermarkets

Toothpastes are intended for private individuals for domestic use. These products are mainly sold in France through * major distribution channels:

Large and medium-sized stores (***): they offer the widest range of products in terms of references and price ranges. Pharmacies and parapharmacies Organic shops and grocery stores Online sales (***)

Toothpastes are very widely sold by food retailers, so manufacturers have less capacity to raise their prices and thus increase their turnover.

However, alternative channels, such as pharmacies and parapharmacies, specialist shops or the Internet, offer manufacturers greater scope for positioning more qualitative products.

In addition, the department stores are unattractive places for the consumer who wants to spend as little time as possible there and therefore does not necessarily take the time to read the packaging or look for innovative and original products.

The specialized circuits, which are much more attractive, therefore represent a suitable channel for innovative and original toothpastes both in terms of composition and packaging.

E-commerce is an increasingly used channel by brands, such as Cattier, which is already present on the Amazon marketplace, or other brands that have their own online sales site.

Some brands have also relied on the distribution of their products in the cosmetics and ...

4.1 Average prices recorded

In ****, the average price of one toothpaste unit was €*.** [***]. With a decline in sales volumes, market growth in **** was driven primarily by an average price increase. This can be explained in particular by the success of innovative, natural and organic products with higher added value.

The price of toothpaste at the time of purchase varies greatly depending on various factors such as the brand, the range, the characteristics of the product, packaging and the quantity in which it is distributed. Among the brands analysed in the study, which are mainly marketed on specialised networks, the following price ranges for tubes of adult paste or gel toothpaste are found on average:

Consumer products - between €*.** and €*.** (***). Natural and/or organic products - between €*.** and €*.** (***). High-end products - between €*.** and €**.** (***).

Large retail chains are exerting strong pricing pressure on toothpaste manufacturers by relying on their central purchasing agencies.

4.2 Offer segmentation

As previously stated, the brand plays a key role in the differentiation of toothpastes but product innovation is also a central factor to reap market share, particularly for the leaders who regularly launch new product lines [***]. Although it is a basic hygiene product, the marketing innovations of certain brands have sought to renew toothpaste to make it a trendy product with the appearance of high-end toothpastes such as those of the Regenerate brand (***).

Producers rely on different characteristics to differentiate themselves perfume, texture, packaging and composition as well as communication through marketing campaigns.

The market can be broken down into two broad segments:

Specific/therapeutic toothpastes: respond to a particular problem (***). Generalist toothpastes: the new system is expected to have ** million consumers in ****. Organic toothpaste: approximately *.* million consumers. Children's toothpaste: fluoride contents suitable for milk teeth.

4.3 The popularity of the "organic" and natural segment

While the hygiene-beauty sector is declining by more than *% in value and volume, organic cosmetics are growing in double digits. Between **** and ****, the evolution of the turnover of the organic hygiene-beauty was around +**% [***].

While all hygiene-beauty segment suffered in supermarkets in ****, oral hygiene is doing quite well. Its turnover increased by *,*% in ****. More precisely, toothpaste turnover increased by *,*% in the same period. 

A growing proportion of consumers are turning to items made from healthier natural and/or organic products, and there is also a craze for the homemade toothpastes. The major groups in the sector are therefore turning more and more to organic products and products based on natural ingredients. The aim is to regain consumer confidence, whereas only **% of French people said they had confidence in the beauty industry according to a Mintel survey published in July ****.

This is why manufacturers positioned on natural products (***) saw its sales increase by **% in ****, thanks in particular to its organic products. Unilever has entered the organic and natural market with its organic products Signal Nature Elements and Zendium [***].

To meet consumer expectations and the intense competition between brands, the industrialists of the market multiply the innovations in terms of the chemical composition and ...

4.4 Innovation as a growth driver

Some players offer original textures with toothpastes in the form of dental tablets to be chewed and then lathered with the toothbrush, or solid toothpastes, and sleek packaging that appeals to and attracts new consumers. The development of premium offers and high-end products thus enables market players to limit market contraction [***].

The whitening toothpaste segment is also considered to be one of the most value-creating. Certain brands such as Email Diamant are positioned as whiteness specialists, while traditional players have developed their range with whiteness products such as Colgate Max White and Oral-B *D White Luxe Perfection. The number of whiteness toothpaste users has increased by *% between **** and ****.

Moreover, the naturalness trend, offers centred around a natural ingredient (***), are winning over consumers," according to specialists. In the recent years, most brands have started to produce and distribute black charcoal toothpastes. Indeed, this new trend has made a lot of noise on social networks in recent years thanks to its natural and innovative side, but especially thanks to its whitening qualities. 

Packaging also evolves, becoming more and more fabricated with recycled plastic. It is in the interest of brands to develop an offer that responds to these sustainable trends and to seek ...

5.1 Toothpaste composition and toxicity

A study by the magazine ** millions de consommateurs en France, relayed by Medisite in ****, shows that some toothpastes contain endocrine disruptors and surfactants that are hazardous to health including three brands: Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate Total original and Fluoryl.

Consumers are therefore advised not to purchase toothpastes containing nanoparticles, triclosan, sodium laurylsulphate and copolymers or polyethylenes. These bacteria can lodge in the spaces between the gums and teeth, favouring the infiltration of bad bacteria and very harmful to the environment.

The most recommended toothpastes among the sample studied are then Biosecure fluoride, Elmex sensitive with amine fluoride Olafluor, Oral B Pro-Expert Professional Protection with sugar shield, Vademecum bio complete protection and Weleda brand calendula toothpaste.

5.2 Regulations governing the offering for sale

Toothpastes can fall under several statuses. Some are related to cosmetic products, whether they are sold in pharmacies, parapharmacies, or supermarkets. As such, they do not necessarily have to prove their effectiveness before being placed on the market. However, they must guarantee their safety and comply with a list of authorised ingredients or forbidden [***]. These have a fluorine content of less than **** ppm.

This first remark therefore means that there has been no prior testing on the products to validate their claims (***). This does not mean either that they are ineffective in preventing cavities: most of them have a sufficient fluorine content, which is a good point in this respect. On the other hand, it is important to know that other claims do not need to be proven before placing on the market.

Conversely, toothpastes that have drug status must have obtained a marketing authorization (***) issued on the basis of a dossier which includes, in particular, clinical studies proving their efficacy. They may only be sold in pharmacies.

Toothpastes are also likely to contain endocrine disruptors, as seen previously. These toxic compounds that interfere with our hormonal system should be avoided as much as possible. The most widespread in toothpastes are ...

6.1 Segmentation

• Colgate Palmolive
• Cattier
• Dabur Meswak
• Sunstar
• Coslys
• Alviana Naturkosmetic (Bonano Gmbh)
• Baracoda
• Bioseptyl
• Y-Brush
• Unilever Groupe
• Signal (Unilever)
• Sensodyne (GlaxoSmithKline Santé)
• Parodontax (GlaxoSmithKline Santé)
• Oral-B (Procter & Gamble)
• Colgate Palmolive Elmex
• Laboratoires KISBY
• Laboratoire ODOST - Buccotherm
• Crest (Procter & Gamble)
• Haleon Group
• Althode Apimani
• Darphin (Estée Lauder)