The nipple and bottle market - France

The global market for feeding bottles and teats is shaped by several key trends and regulations. France will be faced with a sharp drop in birth rates, which have reached an all-time low since 1945, with the fertility rate falling from 1.84 children per woman to 1.86, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 avian flu pandemic. Despite these challenges, innovation is driving the market, with a variety of bottle options catering to different needs, such as anti-colic features and BPA-free materials. French start-up Baby Bottle has responded to health and environmental concerns by offering recyclable baby bottles.

France is a major exporter of teats, with a market coverage rate of over 500%, exporting 118 million euros worth of teats in 2020, mainly to Germany, Italy, China and India.

New regulations, notably the REACH ban on certain phthalates in toys and childcare articles and the Bisphenol A law, have influenced market offerings, guaranteeing safety and the protection of public health.

Despite falling birth rates, the global market is expected to grow by 4.7% a year.

The changing dynamics of the bottle and teat market against a backdrop of demographic and behavioral change

In recent years, the bottle and teat market has undergone a series of changes influenced by demographic, regulatory and consumer behavioral evolutions. In France, birth rates have been on a downward trend, which has had an impact on demand for babycare products. Sales of relevant childcare products fell by around 5-6% in volume, with a drop in value of around 2-4%. The number of births per year continued to fall. Despite these challenges, the market proved resilient, mainly thanks to innovation.

Manufacturers are continually introducing a variety of bottle and teat designs to meet babies' specific needs, such as colic and regurgitation, with a wide range of sizes, materials and shapes. The baby bottle market presents a diverse portfolio, with cylindrical, angular and ergonomic bottles, all designed for ease of use and to address health concerns.

The increasing age of women giving birth for the first time - around 30 to 31 - goes hand in hand with growing purchasing power and a willingness to spend more on baby's basic needs. As a result, around 90% of bottle and nipple purchases take place before the baby is born, often guided by safety considerations, design preferences and budget.

Safety concerns are also driving regulations that are having an impact on the sector. The use of potentially hazardous substances such as bisphenol A and various phthalates in the manufacture of baby bottles and teats has been banned due to the associated health risks. This led to a shift towards materials such as polypropene, polyethersulfone and natural rubber, with France introducing strict bans on bisphenol A to ensure product safety.

Despite a decline in the value of the French market of around 3 to 4%, the juvenile products industry saw a slight increase in revenues, notably from 0.1 to 0.5%, attributed to higher product prices and the advent of new technologies.

The retail landscape for these products is dominated by specialty stores, which account for around 50-60% of sales, while e-commerce platforms are also gaining ground. In particular, almost three quarters of young parents buy childcare products digitally.

The bottle and teat market is home to a wide variety of companies, each bringing its unique blend of innovation and quality to bear on the concerns of discerning parents.

Among the big names in this dynamic sector, a few are leading the way with their specialized offerings and distinctive approaches to the market.

• Distributors
  
  
  • • Aubert is a leading juvenile products retailer, with an extensive network of stores. Known for its comprehensive range of baby products, Aubert has become a trusted name for parents seeking quality and reliability for their little ones. From baby bottles to a host of other childcare items, Aubert is a supermarket that caters to the nurturing needs of young children.
      
      
    • Baby9 offers a more boutique-like experience for parents-to-be. With a focus on personalized customer service, Baby9 offers an intimate shopping experience that helps parents make informed decisions about the best products, including bottles and pacifiers, for their baby.
      
      
• Manufacturers
  
  
  • Avent (a Philips brand) offers innovative solutions for baby feeding. Renowned for its anti-colic bottles and quality teats, Avent is a reference for parents looking for scientifically designed feeding equipment for their infants.
    
    
  • NUK is another familiar name that evokes quality and safety. Their bottles and teats are designed to replicate the natural breastfeeding experience as closely as possible, offering comfort to babies and peace of mind to parents.
    
    
  • Tommee Tippee (Mayborn Group), with its complete range of baby feeding products, puts the emphasis on intuitive design, close to a mother's touch. Many parents choose Tommee Tippee for its baby-friendly bottles and teats, designed to ease the transition from breast to bottle.
    
    
  • Also worth mentioning is The French Baby Bottle, a start-up that prides itself on its environmentally-friendly offerings. Committed to sustainable development, this brand has launched a range of recyclable feeding bottles made from high-quality materials free from harmful chemicals.
    
    
• Pure players like AlloBébé appeal to the generation of digitally-savvy parents. As an online retailer specializing in baby products, AlloBébé offers a wide selection of feeding bottles and teats, as well as various other baby products.tines and a variety of other childcare products, representing convenience and choice in digital shopping.

The baby bottle and teat market is a diverse ecosystem, made up of manufacturers and retailers of different sizes and specializations. Each player, with its unique positioning and product offering, contributes to a market characterized by its delicacy.

Inforamtion

• Number of pages : 30 pages
• Format : Digital and PDF versions
• Last update : 09/06/2021

Summary and extracts

List of charts

• Taux de fécondité selon l'âge de la mère
• Quand avez-vous acheté les premiers éléments de la puériculture
• Element déterminant de l'achat de puériculture
• Sondage : "Comment avez-vous choisi votre matériel de puériculture ?"
• Nombre de naissances par année
• Répartition du marché de la puériculture
• Répartition des ventes de la petite puériculture
• Nombre de magasins de puériculture par enseigne
• Pourcentage de bébés allaités à l'âge de 6 mois
• Principaux importateurs de tétines et biberons fabriqués en France
• Principaux pays d'origine des tétines et biberons à l'import
• Exportations, importations et taux de couverture des tétines en France
• Evolution du marché mondial des biberons
• Evolution du marché mondial des tétines
• Répartition du marché de la puériculture parmi les canaux de distribution
• Evolution de consommation des mères suite à la Covid-19
• Trafic web des principaux sites de puériculture