Shaving a little off the top

While sales of shaving cream — which research has shown to have a relatively high level of penetration among men — have experienced single-
digit growth, sales of razors climbed more than 13%.

According to SymphonyIRI Group, sales of shaving cream rose 3.43% to $282.38 million during the 52 weeks ended Oct. 2 at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart). During that same period, sales of razors rose 13.5% to $282.4 million.

Research has suggested that the sluggish growth of shaving cream could be because of an aging male population that requires less shaving, less stringent workplace requirements that allow facial hair and a continued popularity of the unshaven look. However, the double-digit growth of razors could indicate a shift. It is likely that continued innovation in the razor segment also is helping to fuel growth.