US Household Paper Products Market Report 2020
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Report Summary
Everything you need to make the right decisions
Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the Household Paper Products US market including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the consumer.
Mintel has the answers you’re looking for
What are the key challenges facing the industry? Who is the consumer and what do they want? Where are the opportunities, where are the risks and what lies ahead?
Covered in this report
The household paper category’s problems are not due to a lack of innovation. Several brands have improved paper-based cleaning products, for example, to expand into the domain of nonwoven wet wipes and dish towels. The problem is that so far, consumers haven’t seen the need. As the surface cleaning category responds to prohibitions on single-use plastic, papermakers may still find margin-enhancing domain expansion opportunities. The question is will opportunity come soon enough for renewed category health.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
Written by Jamie Rosenberg, a leading analyst in the Household & Personal Care sector, his extensive knowledge delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Consumers have hastened their trading down to private label. Store brands have closed the quality gap and a growing percentage of consumers no longer see a functional need for premium-priced name brands and private label has captured record market share. Making matters worse, facial tissue and paper napkins continue to lose relevance. The trend of substituting paper towels for napkins and toilet paper for facial tissue has transformed these categories from everyday essentials to discretionary luxuries.
Jamie Rosenberg
Senior Global Analyst
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Definition
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- The growth rate was slightly up in 2019, but it won’t last
- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of household paper products, at current prices, 2014-24
- Fast-growing wipes segments too small to make a dent
- Figure 2: Total US retail sales and forecast of household paper products, by segment, at current prices, 2014, 2019 (est) and 2024 (fore)
- The issues
- Private label outperforms the market
- Figure 3: Multi-outlet sales of private label vs. total market, percentage (%) growth by category, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Facial tissue and napkins are losing relevance
- Figure 4: Use of paper towels as napkins, by age and age of child, December 2019
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- Figure 5: Substitute other paper products for tissue, by age, December 2019
- The opportunities
- Single-use plastic bans present opportunities for forward-looking brands
- What it means
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The Market – What You Need to Know
- 2019 sees higher, albeit temporary growth
- Fast-growing segments won’t rise above supplemental status
- Substitute products cast uncertainty on paper towel innovation
- Growing allergies present sales and social responsibility opportunities
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Market Size and Forecast
- 2019 sees higher, albeit temporary growth
- Figure 6: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of household paper products, at current prices, 2014-24
- Figure 7: Total US retail sales and forecast of household paper products, at current prices, 2014-24
- 2019 sees higher, albeit temporary growth
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Market Breakdown
- Fast-growing segments won’t rise above supplemental status
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of household paper products, by segment, at current prices, 2014, 2019 (est) and 2024 (fore)
- Fast-growing segments won’t rise above supplemental status
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Market Perspective
- Substitute products cast uncertainty on paper towel innovation
- Figure 9: Premium paper towels are not worth the extra money, by age, December 2019
- Substitute products cast uncertainty on paper towel innovation
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Market Factors
- Growing allergies present sales and social responsibility opportunities
- Figure 10: Experience with cold, flu and allergies, December 2018
- Growing allergies present sales and social responsibility opportunities
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Key Players – What You Need to Know
- Private label continues its run
- Bounty holds its own in a tough market
- Viva’s revamp has a strong inaugural showing
- Brawny Tear-A-Square is giving consumers greater sizing choice
- Charmin hopes its Forever Roll will be a boon for convenience
- Quick cleanups and on-the-go lifestyles support moist towelette growth
- Despite government pushback, flushable moist wipes gain penetration
- Paper napkins struggle for relevance
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Company and Brand Sales of Household Paper Products
- Private label continues its run
- Figure 11: Multi-outlet sales of household paper products, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
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- Figure 12: Multi-outlet sales of private label vs. total market, by category, percentage (%) growth, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Figure 13: Forecast retail market spend per capita vs. CAGR next five years, by country, 2019
- Private label continues its run
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What’s Working
- Bounty holds its own in a tough market
- Figure 14: Multi-outlet sales of paper towels, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Viva’s revamp has a strong inaugural showing
- Brawny Tear-A-Square is giving consumers greater sizing choice
- Charmin hopes its Forever Roll will be a boon for convenience
- Figure 15: Prefer extra-large toilet paper rolls, by age, December 2019
- Quick cleanups and on-the-go lifestyles support moist towelette growth
- Figure 16: Multi-outlet sales of hand/face moist towelettes, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Wet Ones has become synonymous with hand and face cleansing
- Despite government pushback, flushable moist wipes gain penetration
- Figure 17: Multi-outlet sales of flushable wet wipes, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Bounty holds its own in a tough market
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What’s Struggling
- Paper napkins struggle for relevance
- Figure 18: Multi-outlet sales of paper napkins, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
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- Figure 19: Use of paper towels as napkins, by age and age of child, December 2019
- Facial tissue brands plagued by substitute products
- Figure 20: Substitute other paper products for tissue, by age, December 2019
- Paper napkins struggle for relevance
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What to Watch
- Wipes will go plastic-free
- Wetting wipes on demand could drive safer cleansing
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The Consumer – What You Need to Know
- Tissue penetration declines further
- Young consumers may be switching to durable dishcloths
- Online retail is the province of the young and wealthy and new parents
- Tissue usage is becoming more specialized
- Travel packs will become a more dominant format
- Paper towels are first and foremost a cleaning product
- Paper towels are the new napkins
- Toilet paper has the most viable premium tier
- Consumers like the convenience of extra-large roles
- Many consider paper napkins wasteful
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Usage of Household Paper Products
- Tissue penetration declines further
- Figure 21: Use of household paper products, December 2019
- Young consumers may be switching to durable cloths
- Figure 22: Usage of facial tissue, paper towels and paper napkins, by age, December 2019
- Will younger consumers increase their tissue usage as they age?
- Tissue penetration declines further
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Purchase Locations
- Mass merchandisers are still the dominant channel
- Figure 23: Purchase locations for household paper products, December 2019
- Online retail is the province of the young and wealthy and new parents
- Figure 24: Online shopping for household paper products by age, income and parental status, December 2019
- Mass merchandisers are still the dominant channel
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Usage Behavior of Facial Tissue
- Facial tissue is predominantly for ailments
- Figure 25: Usage behavior for facial tissue, December 2019
- Younger consumers are driving new usage habits
- Figure 26: Only buy tissues when sick or have allergies and interested in lotion tissue, by age, December 2019
- Travel packs will become a more dominant format
- Could facial tissues cross into surface cleaning?
- Figure 27: Preference for travel packs and usage of facial tissues for cleaning small spills, by age, December 2019
- Facial tissue is predominantly for ailments
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Usage Behavior of Paper Towels
- Paper towels are first and foremost a cleaning product
- Figure 28: Usage behavior and attitudes toward paper towels, December 2019
- Paper towels are the new napkins
- Figure 29: Use of paper towels as napkins, by age and age of children, December 2019
- Paper towels are first and foremost a cleaning product
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Usage Behavior of Toilet Paper and Wipes
- Toilet paper has the most viable premium tier
- Figure 30: Usage behavior and attitudes toward toilet paper, December 2019
- Consumers like the convenience of extra-large roles
- Figure 31: Prefer extra-large toilet paper rolls, by age, December 2019
- Awareness of clogs from flushable moist wipes is growing
- Figure 32: Flushable wipes can clog plumbing, by area, December 2019
- Toilet paper has the most viable premium tier
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Usage Behavior of Napkins
- Many consider paper napkins wasteful
- Figure 33: Attitudes and usage behaviors related to napkins, December 2019
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- Figure 34: Use customized paper napkins, by age and income, December 2019
- Many consider paper napkins wasteful
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 35: Total US retail sales and forecast of household paper products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 36: Total US retail sales and forecast of household paper products, by segment, at current prices, 2014-24
- Figure 37: Total US retail sales of household paper products, by segment, at current prices, 2017 and 2019
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Appendix – Retail Channels
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- Figure 38: Total US retail sales of household paper products, by channel, at current prices, 2014-19
- Figure 39: Total US retail sales of household paper products, by channel, at current prices, 2017 and 2019
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About the report
This market report provides in-depth analysis and insight supported by a range of data. At the same time, introductory and top-level content is provided to give you an overview of the issues covered.
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Data
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*databooks not available with UK B2B Industry reports.
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