UK aerosol industry adapted quickly during pandemic
The British Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association (BAMA) annual filling survey has revealed that the aerosol sector was quick to adjust to the changing circumstances during the Covid-19 pandemic and national lockdowns, responding to new market needs despite the challenging situation. It reports overall production in excess of 1.5 billion units, just 1.3% down on 2019.
There were variations by product category. Hard surface cleaners grew 255%, from 14 million in 2019 to exceeding 50 million units in 2020, while household product filling saw a general increase, with the exception of shoe polish. Veterinary products also saw a surge in production by 170%. Both of these shifts seem to have come as a direct consequence of the pandemic, with homes and public places looking to improve hygiene standards, and restrictions on social interaction leading to a peak in pet adoptions and pet care.
The unusually warm Spring of 2020 pushed up demand for insecticides; working from home meant that the presence of insects was more noticeable and possibly more annoying. This product grew by 40%.
Hairspray sales were down by nearly 5% and other cosmetic products such as suntan and bronzing sprays declined by two thirds. There was an even bigger reduction for novelty products, including silly strings and glitter sprays, which reduced to a quarter of the previous year’s output.
Anti-perspirants saw a decrease of nearly 16% in 2020. Body sprays partially compensated by gaining 7.6% and reaching a total output of 353 million units. Sales of shaving preps continue to show a gentle decline, with a loss of 6.5% from the 157 million in 2019. Sales in other aerosol categories remained fairly stable.
BAMA says export volume from UK aerosol manufacturers continues to be very strong, both to the EU and worldwide and the association hopes to see this continuous growth in the coming years, following new trade deals by the UK Government.
