'The French market has been one of the most dynamic in Western Europe in recent years. Even with this growth rate, there is still considerable potential left, with usage for some products below the Western European norm.' Mintel - Soap, Bath & Shower Products and Deodorants in France

The soap, bath & shower products and deodorants market in France grew steadily between 1997 and 2001, and prospects look good for continued growth. However, strong growth in some segments, such as liquid soaps, shower gels and anti-perspirant deodorants (APDs), has been at the expense of sales of solid soaps, bath products and standard deodorants, as consumers habits change. Both the number of users of shower products and deodorants and the frequency of use are continuing to increase, making these segments particularly attractive to manufacturers launching new products. The activity of the leading distributors in face of the excellent potential presented by the youth market is also an area of particular interest

'The French market has been one of the most dynamic in Western Europe in recent years. Even with this growth rate, there is still considerable potential left, with usage for some products below the Western European norm.' Mintel - Soap, Bath & Shower Products and Deodorants in France

The soap, bath & shower products and deodorants market in France grew steadily between 1997 and 2001, and prospects look good for continued growth. However, strong growth in some segments, such as liquid soaps, shower gels and anti-perspirant deodorants (APDs), has been at the expense of sales of solid soaps, bath products and standard deodorants, as consumers habits change. Both the number of users of shower products and deodorants and the frequency of use are continuing to increase, making these segments particularly attractive to manufacturers launching new products. The activity of the leading distributors in face of the excellent potential presented by the youth market is also an area of particular interest

Justify the development of your innovative new products and identify the correct regions in which to unleash them with our expert consumer research. To find out exactly what we asked consumers, which leading manufactures we analysed and the major distributors we investigated, please take a moment to study the contents pages of this report.

Other Mintel reports of relevance include:

- Cosmetics and Fragrances, Consumer Goods Europe, March 2001

and the forthcoming:

- Cosmetics and Skincare, Consumer Goods Intelligence, May 2002

- Fragrances, Consumer Goods Intelligence, June 2002.