Bar Soap Sales Grow Faster Than Liquid Soap, Report Says

Retail sales of bar soap increased 4.7 percent from $1.1 billion in 2010 to $1.2 billion in 2011, according to market research firm Mintel. In contrast, sales of body-wash products grew 2 percent to $1.9 billion. Also, the increase in sales of bar soap in the luxury and specialty segments means that the market growth is not driven by recession-affected consumers looking for bargain deals. There is a growing interest in handmade soap, according to Cathleen Timberlake, president of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild. Specialty store Space NK launched several soap SKUs in 2011, while French fragrance company Diptyque introduced its first soap, 34 Boulevard Saint Germain.