Aromatherapy makes plenty of ‘scents’ for retailers

For those retailers bold enough to sniff out a fresh opportunity, at least as far as the mass merchant space is concerned, aromatherapy realized some rosy sales gains in 2016. Citing Nielsen data, Piping Rock reported the aromatherapy opportunity in mass is racing along at an annual growth trajectory of 121%, reaching $44 million for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 31, 2016 across all outlets combined.

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“This segment is growing 15 times faster than the next growing [natural] segment,” noted Steve Holzbach, Piping Rock senior category development manager. And that blockbuster growth is not coming at the expense of any other category, he added. It’s all incremental — and another reason for consumers to shop the VMS aisle.

“When we talk to consumers, they’re looking for more than just ‘physical’ health and wellness,” Derek Bowen, chief marketing officer and general manager, Nature’s Bounty, told Drug Store News. It’s expanded into the mental and spiritual arena that used to play very well in the specialty setting or online, but has now migrated to mass outlets, which is what makes an adjacency to VMS ideal. “It’s not just people looking for a fragrance experience. It’s people [who] are looking to go deeper into that emotional well-being.”

Part of the appeal to this category is the repeat business that’s generated after initial trial. Consumers first buying into the category invest in the scent diffuser, after which it’s a matter of buying refill modules to repeat that wellness experience. “The category is growing,” Bowen said. “It has a nice trajectory in terms of velocity.” According to Bowen, the two primary rooms within the house where aromatherapy is practiced are the bathroom and the bedroom, which makes for optimal crossover opportunities.

The majority of shoppers (roughly 80%) are female, Holzbach said. And the category indexes high among Hispanic (104) and African-American (110) shoppers, according to Piping Rock research.

Aromatherapy also may appeal to the baby boomer shopper, Bowen added. “Remember, baby boomers are still the heaviest purchasers of mass fragrances in drug and mass. It’s a very pro-fragrance consumer segment.”

Nature’s Bounty recently introduced a new line of aromatherapy essential oils under the Nature’s Origin banner. The line includes an essential oils kit designed to attract new shoppers, as well as a “Travel with Scents” line available as an easy-to-carry inhaler. There also are a number of different delivery formats being introduced as part of the Nature’s Origin line, including roll-on applicators.

Piping Rock also continues to innovate within the category, and in February infused its aromatherapy line with three new sensory products — a body cream, a body oil and a bubble bath. “These new products offer a therapeutic approach to beauty for a holistic approach to aromatherapy,” said Kimberly Vigliante, SVP sales and marketing at Piping Rock. Coupled with the soothing scent of Piping Rock’s most popular essential oil — lavender — the products add a gifting opportunity to the health-and-wellness aisles.