Baby products are taking over millennials’ shopping baskets – Kantar Worldpanel

Kantar Worldpanel, the global expert in shoppers’ behavior, reveals that baby products such as baby food, diapers, wipes and talcum powder are dominating millennials’ shopping baskets this year. Based on data gathered by Kantar Worldpanel, specifically on food and non-food purchases, millennials are said to have contributed significantly to the percent value share of these baby products in the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) market in the Philippines.

Around half of baby food (51 percent) and diapers (49 percent) and more than a third of wipes (40 percent), milk powder (34 percent) and talcum or baby powder sales (31 percent) can be attributed to millennials.

Otherwise known as Generation Y, millennials are those born between 1980 and 2000. According to Kantar Worldpanel, twenty-seven percent of households in the Philippines are currently headed by ‘millennial moms’. A significant number of local households, at 80 percent, have millennial members as well. Data also show that majority of the millennial households in the country reside in the rural areas, particularly in South Luzon and Mindanao, and fall under Class E with three to four family members that include a child below three years old.

Millennials’ Go-to Brands

According to Kantar Worldpanel, which tracks the shopping behavior of 3,000 homes in urban and rural areas across the country, millennial households’ total FMCG purchases grew by 7.7 percent in 2016.

 TOP MILLENNIAL BRANDS

BASED ON SHARE OF MILLENNIALS TO TOTAL BRAND

Kantar Worldpanel notes that Cerelac and Nido are the top brands with highest contribution coming from millennials. These brands are closely followed by beverage brands such as Absolute (40 percent), Refresh Mineral Water (38 percent) and Royal Tru Orange (37 percent).

Meanwhile, baby products continue to dominate this said rankings of the most purchased non-food products by Filipino millennials. Diaper brands, namely Happy (59 percent), Pampers (48 percent), Twins (45 percent) and EQ (45 percent) occupy the top 4 slots. However, the presence of beauty brands Kojie San (39 percent), Maxi Peel (35 percent) and Ever Bilena (33 percent) highlights that millennials also prioritize personal care products during their shopping trips.

The growth of the Millennials’ purchasing power

Baby needs are not the only items that are booming in the millennial shopping basket. Other top products purchased by millennials highlight their desire for personal and home cleanliness, convenience and fun. Data show that they increased purchases across all megasectors in 2016: personal care (11.2 percent); home care (10.1 percent); food (5.5 percent); and beverage (9.7 percent).

Dental hygiene is important to this age group as their value sales for toothbrushes and toothpaste have risen by 25 percent and 21 percent, respectively. The same can be said with personal and household cleanliness evidenced by the 35 percent increase toilet tissue. Pest control purchases rose by 21 percent, closely followed by dishwashing agents which increased by 20 percent.

Convenience is also key for millennials in the food and beverages megasectors as shown by the 58 percent value sales  increase of meal mixes and 27 percent rise of deep fry coating. Alcoholic beverages similarly increased by 42 percent which was more than double the rise in water value sales, which rose by 20 percent.

“Our data highlights the great purchasing power of millennials that marketers can take advantage of. Understanding who the real millennials are, what stage in life they are in and their value system can guide brands as they develop products and strategies to drive growth in sales,” Diwa Manila, Kantar Worldpanel Account Director said. “Not only are they the top baby needs buyers, it is interesting to note that they are driving significant growth in the oral care, meal mixes and beverage categories.”