The latest Consumer Insights study from Empathy Research has found that two-thirds of Irish consumers (66%) typically purchase toiletry items from supermarkets, as they believe they are less expensive when compared to a pharmacy or a dedicated outlet.
Significantly more males (69%) think supermarkets are less expensive for toiletries than females (63%).
Breaking this down into age categories, those aged over 45 are also more likely to think supermarkets are less expensive. The majority of 45-54 year olds (72%) and 55+ years olds (74%) think supermarkets are less expensive for toiletries compared to a pharmacy or dedicated outlet. This is significantly higher compared to 55% of 18-24 year olds, 59% of 25-34 year olds and 62% of 35-44 year olds.
71% of males are likely to purchase items such as hair products and toothpaste from supermarkets, which is significantly more than females (61%). Meanwhile, females are vastly more likely to purchase toiletry items from pharmacies than males (14% vs. 6%), and dedicated outlets (4% vs. 1%).
One in six Irish consumers (16%) typically purchase toiletry items from discounters such as Aldi or Lidl. This was higher among males (19%) compared to females (14%).
Almost half of Irish consumers (48%) claim they typically look for special offer when purchasing toiletries, while 14% cited they stick with a preferred brand when shopping in the category
When it comes to purchasing cosmetics and beauty treatments, Irish consumers, particularly Irish females, are significantly less likely to buy these items from a supermarket. When asked where they purchase cosmetic and beauty treatments such as make-up and face masks, two-fifths (41%) of respondents said they would normally buy these items from a pharmacy. This was significantly higher among females (51%) than males (30%).
Only a quarter (25%) of Irish consumers cited they buy cosmetics and beauty treatments from supermarkets. This was predominantly driven by males (37% vs. 14% females).
Click here for more information from Empathy Research.
© 2015 - Checkout Magazine by Jenny Whelan
