Manufacturers are striving to jazz up the bath and body segment with new, spa-inspired fragrances and formulations as sales show a ho-hum attitude among 
beauty shoppers. 


Slightly more than one-quarter of shoppers anticipate they will be financially better off a year from now, up from the 22% who held this view one year ago, SymphonyIRI Group reported Tuesday in its second annual EconoLink survey.

Judging from the number of dietary supplement companies that are being snatched up by heavy-hitting suppliers in the over-the-counter space, the 5% uptick in supplement sales for the 52 weeks ended Aug. 12 is one trend that stands to continue.

The overall foot care category was relatively flat — down 0.9% — with $587.2 million in sales for the 52 weeks ended Aug. 12 across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group data. However, almost 2-out-of-3 foot care products sold are insoles, which bodes well for sales 
going forward. 


The mouthwash segment experienced a slight uptick, as formulas that offer multiple benefits catch consumers’ attention — a trend that is likely to continue as consumers increasingly seek value.

The teeth-whitening strips segment has lost some of its luster, according to data from SymphonyIRI Group, likely due in part to the economy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that products that promise to whiten teeth are losing popularity.

Drug channel retailers hold a lower than average share among younger baby boomers, likely due to a particularly low share across sizeable categories, such as vitamins and internal analgesics, within the younger boomer cohort, SymphonyIRI Group reported Thursday as part of its latest Times & Trends Report, "Baby Boomers: Riding the Wave of Diversity."

Cleaning the face of makeup, dirt and other impurities in the morning and night is clearly an important part of a healthy skin care routine, and manufacturers continue to answer the call with products that promise to deliver even greater results.

Bayer has been stepping up its game behind its Bayer Advanced Aspirin brand in an attempt to recreate its brand identity from a healthy heart supplement for people who’ve had a heart attack to what Bayer Aspirin had been in its heyday: the internal analgesic of choice.

Consumers shop as many as seven retail channels in pursuit of the best value, SymphonyIRI Group reported Wednesday.

The recent launch of a number of new probiotic products from several large suppliers should be a boon to the popular digestive-support supplement.