Report shows increase in British men seeking a famous face fragrance

A report released by market research firm Mintel shows that 6 per cent of Britain’s men own a celebrity fragrance, compared to 2007, when it was less than 2 per cent of the adult male population.

And this surge in popularity has seen British men match and surpass their European counterparts in celebrity fragrance desire, as only Italy is ahead with 8 per cent of the adult male population, and Spain on par with 6 per cent.

In Germany and France, 4 per cent of men announced their desire for celebrity scents, but it is the increase in Britain’s men interest that is most interesting finding according to the report.

Vivienne Rudd, senior European beauty analyst at Mintel, attributed the rise of the celebrity fragrance has come from the nation’s obsession with celebrity.

“Other countries watch with amazement the parade of fragrances from people who would rarely be regarded as celebrities outside the pages of the UK tabloids and online gossip sites,”​ she explained.

Rudd also described how social pressures on men to be more self conscious and appealing to others has played its part.

“Men are aware of the ability of scent to boost self image and enhance confidence – an important factor when job security and rising unemployment are issues – and the increase of interest in male celebrity fragrances is reflective of this and the current marketplace.”​

And this may well influence a flurry of famous face fragrances being sold this Christmas as the report states that three quarters of British men receive a fragrance as a gift at Christmas and that it is Britain’s dads who are most likely to own a celebrity scent, 13 per cent.

In spite of the financial crisis, the men's fragrance market has continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace, Mintel says.

Last year Britain's men sprayed £388m (€455m) worth of the stuff and by the end of this year, sales of men’s fragrances are set to reach almost £400m (€469m).

Over the past five years the market for men’s fragrances will have grown 18 per cent, with sales increasing from £327m (€383m) in 2005 to £397m (€465m) in 2010.

Despite difficult economic circumstances, Mintel suggests that it seems men continue to use fragrance, which it states is clearly important to image-conscious men as over six in ten male fragrance users claim to look after their appearance.

Yet it seems it is the Italians who are the most eager to please their partners, as over 22 per cent of Italy’s male population say they wear a fragrance they know their partner likes, followed by Spain (21 per cent), Germany (20 per cent), France (19 per cent) and Britain (18 per cent).