This is not a completely negative thing, as consumers are also making the choice to use less water, but the sector is being hit by the desire to save money.
According to a new Mintel report, the soap, bath and shower category has experienced declining sales over the past two years, falling from £660 million (€911m) in 2012 to an estimated £638 million (€881m) in 2014.
The market researcher says this is down to consumers seeking more economical routines and saving money; and in some cases, as these routines may be greener, they also appeal.
“Consumers have started to realise that being environmentally friendly can translate to money-saving and are making greener choices to benefit their own pockets,” says Charlotte Libby, Senior Beauty Analyst at Mintel.
“Changing consumer perceptions of taking a bath as being more costly or time-consuming than showering is essential to restore sales growth to the bath products segment.”
Changing habits
Mintel data shows that whilst one in five Brits are taking fewer baths per week compared to three years ago, 16% say they are taking less time in the bath and 14% say they are using less water.
And while a quarter of Brits say they have increased the number of showers they take per week, one in 10 say they use less water in each shower compared to three years ago while 10% also say they are taking less time per shower.
There is an opportunity in all this though, as Mintel discovered that young men are becoming more attracted to the bathtub, with one in five saying they take a bath more than they did three years ago.
“Young men can prove an important target for innovation in the soap, bath and shower sector, and could be encouraged into habits that they maintain as they age,“ Charlotte says.
Handwash up
Other good news in the sector is that handwashing has increased over the last few years as more adults are doing it, and are doing so more often, with the proportion of Brits buying liquid hand soap at least once a month has risen from 56% in 2013 to 62% in 2014.
It seems that young consumers are even more enthusiastic over keeping hands spic and span with three-quarters of 16-24s purchasing hand sanitiser gel and one in 10 buying it once a week or more.
“With health scares making headlines around the world throughout 2014, the spread of disease has raised awareness of how hand hygiene plays a part in preventing infection, causing an increase in the frequency of consumers washing their hands,” adds Libby.
“The large majority of young Brits purchasing hand sanitiser shows that, despite preconceptions, this group have a particularly cautious attitude towards spreading germs.”