Hy-Vee has reported a “significant increase” in hair care and beauty care product purchases chainwide as customers look to do-it-yourself solutions amid the coronavirus crisis.
The trend, Hy-Vee said Thursday, stems from the temporary closure of many salons, barbershops and spas across the Midwestern retailer’s eight-state region as communities and businesses across the country shut down to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Since mid-March, sales of hair coloring, nail polish and nail care products have more than doubled, Hy-Vee said. Similarly, as more customers cut their hair at home, sales for hair trimmers have more than tripled since the end of March. Demand for hair accessories also has weighted since the start of April as shoppers look for elastic bands to make face masks, the company noted.
Other health and beauty offerings experiencing rising sales include body wash, lotion, facials, beard products, women’s shaving products, bar soap, bath bombs and bath salts.
The products are available for purchase at both Hy-Vee stores or digitally Hy-Vee Aisles Online, despite higher-than-usual demand, the West Des Moines, Iowa-based food and drug retailer noted.
“We are continuing to see widespread demand for hair and beauty products in our stores as this pandemic progresses,” Darren Baty, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, said in a statement. “At Hy-Vee, our goal has always been to be a convenient one-stop shop for our customers. That mission has never been more important than now, especially as we serve those who don’t want to travel to multiple stores to pick up their essentials.”
In response to this consumer spending pattern, Hy-Vee said it plans to launch a 15%-off beauty product sale for Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25. The discount also will apply to range of popular cosmetic brands carried by Hy-Vee, including Maybelline, CoverGirl, L’Oréal, e.l.f, Revlon, Sally Hansen and Neutrogena. Select stores also offer specialty brands such as bareMinerals, OPI, Stila, Smashbox and theBalm.
According to consumer products market researcher Nielsen, health and beauty care dollar sales were down 10.4% year over year for the week ended April 11 but were up 8% for the four weeks through April 11. Online sales, in particular, have seen strong growth, with health and beauty care up 32.5% in dollars for the one-week period.
Reflecting some of the trends seen at Hy-Vee, dollar sales for the week ended April 11 rose 92.9% for nail polish remover (+80.5% for the four-week period through April 11), 20.2% for hair coloring (+19.7% for the four weeks) and 138.5% for men’s hair clippers (+104.7% for the four weeks), Nielsen reported.
