DN Report KARACHI: Oral care value sales grew by 14 per cent in current value terms to spike its sales to PKR 21.2 billion in 2014. Moreover, oral care is likely to grow by a CAGR of 8pc at constant 2014 prices during the forecast period to reach sales of PKR 30.4bn in 2019 as per recently published Euromonitor - a privately owned, London-based market intelligence firm, providing market research, business intelligence reports and data to industry category briefing report. The reason for its quick rise and attaining a high value is being attributed to huge investments made by multinational and local companies in television and billboard advertisements for creating oral hygiene awareness among consumers. Moreover, urban consumers have also played a significant role in the growth of oral care as they have more education and awareness about oral hygiene. One of the reasons cited for the growth of oral care by 14pc in current value terms was that oral care companies have been continuously focusing on making doctors and dentists their brand ambassadors. Market research reported that the market expanded by a staggering 117% in the last 5 years. In addition to this, consumers have a vast variety of toothpaste in terms of price and benefits. Another salient feature of the briefing was that Colgate-Palmolive Ltd maintained its lead in oral care with a value share of 49pc in 2014-2015 followed by Close-Up holding 10% and Sensodyne holding 7% of the market share. The market survey finding articulates that the oral healthcare market has vast potential in the Pakistani market. While the importance of oral health care is being recognized by the public in general due to awareness campaigns being implemented, Dr. Ayyaz Ali Khan – a veteran dentist and head of Institute of Advancement in Dental Studies & Research (IADSR) said that the rise in oral healthcare awareness in Pakistan due to FMCG and toothpaste & toothbrush manufactures is no more than 10% – 15%. He further commented that the rise in GNP in Pakistan along with Education and international exposure of a common individual in Pakistan are the major reasons for rise in Oral care awareness. He said that it is a known and established phenomena globally that the rise of oral healthcare awareness is directly proportional to the Secondary and Tertiary education in any country. He said that marketing campaign executed by the toothpaste manufactures and marketers have surely raised the awareness on brushing habits however, the rise of oral healthcare awareness cannot be left alone to the advertising activities.
