Toothpaste is one of the most frequently purchased personal care items amongst adults with almost 7 in 10 (68%) claiming to purchase once a month or more often and 3 in 10 (28%) buying once every 2-3 weeks. This research, conducted on behalf of Retail Intelligence by Empathy Research, amongst a nationally representative sample of 1,004 adults aged 18+, sought to understand purchase behaviour in this category and which aspects are most important to consumers when purchasing.
Supermarkets are the most likely purchase point for those buying toothpaste once a month or more often, with almost 9 in 10 (86%) purchasing through this channel, with Tesco, Dunnes Stores and SuperValu all being a more likely purchase destination than either Lidl or Aldi. Outside of grocery retailers, Boots is the most likely purchase destination, with almost 1 in 5 (17%) monthly plus buyers purchasing in Boots.
There has been little change evident in terms of purchase behaviour amongst those who buy toothpaste from supermarkets, with just 8% of those who have purchased from a supermarket claiming to be purchasing more toothpaste here than they were this time last year. Of those who have increased their purchase in supermarkets year-on-year, being more convenient to purchase while doing grocery shopping (51%) is a big driver in this behaviour, with toothpaste being cheaper (48%) and special offers (26%) available in supermarkets also affecting behaviour.
In terms of overall importance when purchasing toothpaste, there are two aspects which are deemed of primary importance to buyers. The quality of the product is deemed important for 7 in 10 (70%), with a similar proportion (66%) claiming suitability is important. Brand loyalty in this category is somewhat limited, with just over 4 in 10 (41%) claiming to be loyal to the brand they buy most often, with almost 1 in 5 (19%) claiming not to be loyal.
For further information and more in-depth analysis on consumer behaviour when it comes to purchasing toothpaste and other personal care products, please contact Robbie Clarke at Empathy Research.
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