Posted on January 3, 2023.

Throughout history, squarely at the intersection of political and social rights movements, hair has always been a form of political expression.

Regardless of race, creed or social standing, all women and men can relate to having a relationship with their hair. While the recent protests from the women of Iran have served as a catalyst for headlines across the globe, attention to hair, its importance, and its symbolism has been brought to the fore all over the world.

For centuries, what women and men do with their hair has always been linked to social change. Hair has been used as symbols of empowerment, political messages, defiance and identity; from Samson in the Bible to the ancient Egyptian wigs worn by Cleopatra.

For African women and men, this relationship with their hair is far more complex and dates back as early as the 15th Century. An African woman or girl’s hairstyle would be used as a marker for her marital status, age, religion, ethnic identity, wealth and rank in the community. Hair for the African woman and man is tied to a sense of self, identity, a sense of belonging in their community and most importantly an expression of beauty.

The versatility of “Afro” hair means that African consumers have a range of options to consider when it comes to caring for their hair. These options include head wraps, plaits, braids, dreadlocks or even wearing natural curls. The African hair consumer has a range of needs and as a result, the bargaining power of the African consumer drives the market.

By the Numbers

Today, most hair care brands across the globe are making way for more inclusive ranges fuelled by the technological connectivity that provides an amplification of the African consumer voices.

The African hair care market post covid-19 pandemic, will grow 6.35% a year to 2026, according to TechNavio. There is demand for newness from brands, retailers and hair care services.  The growing youth population and those with more disposable income in Africa are more concerned about their health than ever before.

According to the survey by McKinsey’s Health Institute, “health perception and household income are positively connected.”

There is a strong shift toward natural hair care products and major players like L’Oréal South Africa are investing in R&D to better understand the African consumer and their needs.

For example, In July 2022, L’Oréal Professional Paris partnered with professional hair stylists in Kenya to launch the Expert Curl Expression Natural Hair series.

While some segments are strongly influenced by market behavior and macro factors across the various African countries, sales of hair care products rose nearly 6% last year. Recent product developments and new product launches are fuelling the growth of the African hair care market.

The market is fragmented and highly competitive. Several large players occupy the market and the market leaders such as Avon, Amika Products, Combe, Henkel, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, Shiseido, Estée Lauder, Procter & Gamble and Unilever dominate all sectors of the market from mass to prestige.

Their competitive advantage is a steady stream of new and innovative products introduced to the market. Natural ingredients, sustainable development, sustainable sourcing, and sustainable practices are the top trends that appeal to consumers.

While performance indicators vary, innovative growth strategies, product innovations and investments are tools being used to gain market share.

The market is segmented into the following product classifications: shampoo, conditioner, hair color, hair styling products and others.

The leading markets are South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and the rest of Africa. South Africa has the largest share of the market and is estimated to reach $1.2 billion by 2027 with a growing CAGR of 3.4% during the forecast period 2022-2027 according to an Industry Arc report.  For example, the shampoo segment in South Africa leads with the largest share of the market. With water a scarce resource, products like dry shampoo perform well.

“Soaring applications of shampoos expected to boost the growth of the South Africa professional hair care products industry,” according to Industry Arc.

The Future of Hair Care

New regulations across the continent are being introduced by local regulatory bodies to create a more cohesive industry standard and help build consumer trust. Meanwhile, more consumers with more disposable income is fuelling the growth in retail infrastructure.

And more supermarkets, hypermarkets and specialty stores means that the consumer has more access to hair care products than ever before.

Trends such as “the natural hair movement” popularized by social media are contributing to the surge in the demand for do-it-yourself (DIY) solutions, heatless hair styling and chemical free products.

The fast-growing youth population is another growth driver for the African hair care market. The African Gen Z consumer is the focus of many brand innovations.

While the key risks on brands and retailers in the African hair care market are affected along the supply chain due to currency instability in the leading regions, the African hair care market is full of opportunities.

These opportunities make it an excellent growth market for both formulators and their raw manterial suppliers.

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