Are you a brand that offers oral care products? If so, you’re probably wondering what 2023 holds in store for your marketing strategy. According to our data analysis, some critical healthy dental care “natural themes” are predicted to lose their growth momentum over the next year. This means you’ll need to start focusing on and investing in other areas and marketing strategies to stay ahead of the competition. So, what should your brand prioritize? Let’s dive right in.
Our on-theme predictions for 2023
The graphic below breaks down the seven oral hygiene themes that we predict will have the highest potential for growth in 2023. Theme opportunity scores are determined by looking at both share of voice (a leading indicator of market share) and year-over-year growth rate.
Using our White Space AI tool, we’ve analyzed 42 oral care themes to better understand what consumers will need, talk about, and purchase in 2023.
BPA Free
BPA Free takes the top spot on our predicted list of natural themes losing popularity. Our team predicts a negative 38.19 percent growth rate for this natural theme, which only holds 0.03 percent of the total Oral Care conversation. Products like Hello’s Bamboo Toothbrush may not be as popular next year as they have been in recent years.
BPA Free has been quite the buzzword in the Oral Care industry for the past few years. It’s been banned in children’s products in the US since 2018 and has been slowly phased out of adult products as well. In Oral Care, BPA Free refers to toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss that doesn’t contain the harmful chemical BPA.
Consumers are now more aware of BPA’s dangers and actively seeking out products that don’t contain it. However, since most Oral Care products are now BPA Free, the conversation around the topic has begun to die down. This is likely why we’re predicting a decline in growth for this natural theme next year.
Organic
Organic is another Oral Care natural theme that’s predicted to have a decline in growth next year. It holds 0.58 percent of the oral care and healthy teeth conversation, and our team predicts a negative 33.95 percent growth rate.
Organic Toothpaste, Mouthwash, and Floss are made with ingredients grown without pesticides, herbicides, or other synthetic chemicals. They’re also free of artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. Similar to BPA Free, the conversation around Organic Oral Care products has begun to die as more brands start to offer them. Consumers can now find Oral Care products that fit their “organic” preferences without much effort, which has led to a decline in growth for the natural theme.
So, what does this mean for your Oral Care brand? If you’re a brand that offers BPA Free or Organic Oral Care products, you might want to start thinking about shifting your marketing focus to other areas and claims. 2023 is predicted to be a challenging year for growth in these natural themes, so it’s vital to stay ahead of the competition.
Vegan
Our list is chock full of marketing buzzwords, and Vegan is no exception. Like Organic and BPA Free, the conversation around Vegan Oral Care products has begun to simmer as more brands offer them. It holds a 0.30 percent share of voice, and we predict a negative 28.50 percent growth trajectory for 2023.
Vegan Oral Care products are made without animal-derived ingredients, including honey, beeswax, lanolin, and collagen. These products are also free of any testing on animals. The Oral Care industry is slowly becoming more vegan-friendly, but the conversation has become more normalized.
Popular vegan oral hygiene brands like Tom’s of Maine, Hello Oral Care, and Burt’s Bees have been around for years, so the novelty of vegan Oral Care products has begun to wear off. If you’re a brand that offers vegan Oral Care products, it might be time to start thinking about how you can set yourself apart from the competition.
Non-GMO
Non-GMO Oral Care products are made without any genetically modified ingredients – they haven’t been altered in any way, shape, or form. Since organic products never contain GMOs, it’s not surprising to see this theme losing growth momentum. It holds 0.02 percent of Oral Care healthy dental care conversations, and we predict a negative 21.83 percent growth rate across 2023.
With organic and Non-GMO both landing on our predicted loser’s list, it seems that consumers are varied with how they’re talking about and searching for their favorite oral care products. They just want products that work and are made with good ingredients.
If you’re a brand offering Non-GMO Oral Care products, consider focusing on other natural themes that are predicted to grow more next year, like Herbal and Gluten Free.
Want to dive deep into Oral Care trends? Read our recent whitepaper here.
Sugar Free
Added sugar is the public enemy number one in Oral Care, so it’s no surprise that Sugar Free Oral Care products (0.02 percent share of voice) are also losing sales momentum. Sugar Free Oral Care products don’t contain added sugar — the sweet taste comes from natural sources like xylitol, a sugar alcohol often used as a sugar substitute.
While Sugar Free Oral Care products don’t have any added sugar, they’re not necessarily “healthy.” In fact, some Sugar Free Oral Care products can damage your teeth because they contain acids that eat away at tooth enamel. Think about how your brand can shift investments to claims that we predict will have more growth potential next year, like Sustainable and Non-Toxic.
Natural
While Natural within our natural themes analysis seems duplicative, this shows how consumers engage with terminology online, which is critical for any brand to be in tune with. With an impressive 5.20 percent share of voice, Natural labels will struggle to perform as well in 2023 as in prior years (negative 33.95 percent growth rate).
The Oral Care industry has begun to clean up its act in recent years, and as a result, Natural Oral Care products have lost some of their luster. In the past, Natural Oral Care products were often seen as being less effective than their synthetic counterparts, but that’s no longer the case. Now that Natural Oral Care products are just as effective as synthetic Oral Care products, brands will need to focus on other ways to set themselves apart. They can do this by emphasizing their sustainable sourcing practices or using recycled materials in their packaging.
Flouride Free
While fluoride usually has a positive connotation when it comes to Oral Care and healthy teeth (it’s often hailed as being a cavity-prevention miracle), there is a small but vocal group of consumers who believe that fluoride is actually harmful to your health, which will play a big part in the natural theme’s negative 9.59 percent 2023 growth trajectory.
Flouride Free Oral Care products (0.98 percent share of voice) are made without any fluoride, and we predict that they’ll see a negative 9.59 percent growth rate across 2023. For brands offering Fluoride Free Oral Care products, we recommend investing in higher-demand natural themes that haven’t saturated the market.
Conclusion
Oral Care is a complex category with a lot of moving parts, but our data tells us that there are a few key themes that brands should be aware of as we move into 2023. A handful of natural themes, in particular, seem to be on the decline, so brands should invest their marketing budgets in other areas if they want to stay ahead of the curve. Thanks for reading!
For more on 2023 oral care tips and trends, check out our blog.
If you’re ready to see Simporter AI in action and learn what it can do for you, request a demo on our website for more insights on Household Care Stain Removal trends. Predicting need state trends is just one way Simporter can help brands grow their business, so to learn more about how we can help you, please visit us at simporter.com.
