These indicators suggest that the local market is way behind other countries in the West where people brush their teeth regularly and replace their toothbrush every other month.
“Toothbrush buying and consumption behavior confirms a low level compared with Western European countries. Still, the [sales of] toothbrushes for kids increased significantly in 2011, compared with the previous years, as more and more people realize the importance of oral hygiene,” says Victor Ceus, manager of GSK Consumer Healthcare for Central Europe.
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare’s marketing has focused on the segment of toothbrushes for children more than on any other category in 2012, he added.
Over 750,000 children’s toothbrushes were sold in Romania last year, 50% more than in 2010. Still, there are about 4 million minors (less than 18 years of age) in Romania, which shows the market has potential for growth. The market of toothbrushes for adults is no different, considering it reached 7.7 million units and almost RON39 million last year.
Toothpaste and toothbrush purchases are two important indicators of the health of the general population and of the education and knowledge level of Romanians.
“Oral health is essential for the quality of life and for the overall well-being of the body. However, many Romanians suffer from problems caused by poor oral hygiene from cavities to oral cancer,” Victor Geus says.
The representatives of the Romanian Dental Council and of the Association of Private Practice Dentists in Romania, however, say that they have no data about the number of Romanians that go to a dentist every year or about how much they spend to get their cavities fixed, which are one of the most frequent dental hygiene problems.
Representatives of the Health Ministry, of the Economy Ministry and of the National Statistics Institute in turn said they did not have the data requested by ZF about the number of toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes sold in one year.
“These data are very important and the Health Ministry should have them because such information has to be reported to Eurostat periodically for its special chapter. Moreover, such information helps evaluate the health of the general population, its diet, and are indicators of the education and knowledge levels in Romania,” says Vasile Astarastoae, chairman of the Romanian College of Physicians. Such data are publicly available in countries like UK and Austria, he added.
According to Eurostat data, Romania has 60 dentists per 1,000 people, more than in such developed countries as UK, Austria and Switzerland. This is not because Romanians go to the dentist often, but because of the dental tourism development. Romania has become a destination of choice for those seeking dental treatment because prices are lower than in Western countries.
Although ahead of some Western European countries in terms of number of dentists, Romania lags behind in terms of sales of toothbrushes and toothpaste.
“Consumers have to replace their toothbrush every other month, but research shows they replace it every other year in Romania,” says Oana Davidoglu, marketing manager of the personal care divisions of Unilever South Central Europe, one of the largest fast moving consumer goods companies on the market.
Unilever, who has been operating on the oral hygiene market in France and Italy for many years, added this segment to its Romanian business in October 2010 when it launched the Signal brand. It now sells Signal toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash.
Top competitors in the oral hygiene business are Colgate Palmolive, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer HealthCare, Procter&Gamble and Unilever. Private labels have carved a niche, too, because of their lower prices. As with foods, price is a very important factor when it comes to buying.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)