Best Bar None? Soap Sales Are Up As Shoppers Shun Plastic Packaging

Traditional bar soaps are making a comeback

Posted on

5 March 2019

All Credits: PA

Until recently, a bottle of posh liquid hand wash was a bathroom essential if you wanted to impress visiting guests.

But now, as we’re all becoming more environmentally aware, the coolest households are eschewing plastic packaging of all kinds, and sales of the humble soap bar are on the rise.

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The first bunch of tulips this season. And the first Monday when you feel you should be properly back to it... whatever ‘it’ means for you. #rvkprojecthouse #springblooms #sinkie

A post shared by Rebecca (@rvk_loves) on Jan 6, 2019 at 11:58pm PST

According to Mintel, sales of bar soap have increased by 3%, from 24% in 2017 to 27% in 2018.

At Waitrose, sales of bar soap are up 20% year-on-year, based on Kantar Worldpanel figures, and beauty brand Dr Bronner reports an even bigger spike.

“Our Pure-Castile Bar Soaps have always been very popular, but we’ve seen a 30% increase in sales of these soaps in the UK, which has been a marked change,” says the company’s president Mike Bronner.

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Did you know Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Soaps comes in eight scents? 1. Peppermint (our original & most popular scent!)2. Lavender 3. Almond4. Citrus5. Baby Unscented6. Tea Tree7. Rose8. Eucalyptus

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“There has been a movement away from plastic. Our bar soaps are a sustainable, affordable and eco-friendly option, as the entire bar, including its post-consumer recycled paper packaging, is biodegradable.

“We feel the sales growth of our bar soaps is driven in part by environmental factors, but also economic ones, as the bars last such a long time.”

As well as ditching plastic bottles, consumers are also on the hunt for ingredients that won’t harm them or the environment.

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Lots of beautiful soaps being wrapped today just for YOU. Each one is wrapped in brown kraft paper that can go straight in the compost heap when you're done with it. It takes a little longer to wrap this way rather than popping the soap in a box but we absolutely love the way these look and feel - we think the extra effort is worth it, and wrap each one with love also, who else channels their inner Maria (The Sound of Music) while unwrapping their soaps?! #brownpaperpackages #ecofriendly #reducewaste #compostable #withlove

A post shared by Bean&Boy Natural Handmade Soap (@beanandboy) on Jan 9, 2019 at 4:35am PST

On e-commerce site Etsy, there have been over 44,000 searches for ‘natural soap’ in the past six months, as well as a 110% rise in searches for ‘shampoo bars’, compared to the same time last year.

“The renewed interest in bar soaps can certainly be aligned with the shopper’s desire to become more eco-conscious,” says Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson.

“By purchasing bar soaps, shoppers can have more visibility on ingredients, leave less of an impact on the planet by reducing plastic bottles, and what’s even better is that some bar soaps and shampoos last longer than traditional liquid bottles.”

Coutiver Set of 3 Organic Vegan Soaps (Etsy/PA)

And it’s not just liquid hand soap that shoppers are swapping out of their routines.

“In 2018, we saw an 88% increase in purchases of our cleansing bar, Le Savon Lune,” reports Joy Isaacs, founder of luxury skincare brand Argentum Apothecary, a stat that’s particularly impressive since the bar retails at £104.

Why so pricey? Because the soap-free formula is infused with real silver hydrosol, the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of which can help to tackle acne, and clean without irritating the skin.

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When Gallinee launched a cleansing bar last year, it immediately sold out (it’s now back in stock) and cult brands like Drunk Elephant and Lush are responding to demand with solid cleansers for all skin types.

So, whether you want a simple soap bar to stash by the sink, or a gentle cleanser for daily use, you can now ditch the plastic without compromising on quality.

Ready to make the switch? Here’s our pick of the best soaps, from bargain bars to luxury lathers…