Air care products were yet again a hit among Americans, registering strong growth of 7% in current value in 2006. This strong growth is consistent with the boom experienced by the air care products in the second half of the review period, as new products were being rolled out.
Candle air fresheners experienced a 23% gain in 2006, aided by SC Johnson’s heavily promoted Glade Scented Oil Candles, which offered a new scented oil-in-a-candle concept in 2005. The company continued to support the brand in 2006, adding a new trio variety. Candle air fresheners are popular with consumers because they offer sensorial and aesthetic benefits – air freshening and beautiful colours to complement a room’s decor.
Although candle air fresheners has been a strong growth area, it also faces significant competition from regular scented candles, which are seen by many consumers as both adequate and more aesthetically pleasing substitutes. An example of this sort of product is found in the various offerings of the Yankee Candle Company, which include a wide range of scented candles in pillar, glass, votive and other formats. Further blurring the distinction between air freshening candles and scented candles was the extension of the Yankee Candle, in 2003, into an electric scented oil format. Despite this encroachment on the traditional territory of Glade, Air Wick and Renuzit, Yankee Candle continues to make no odour-reduction claims and therefore remains excluded from Euromonitor International’s globally standardised market definitions.
For the complete report: Euromonitor International.
