Even in a recession, sales of most men’s hair care products are expected to remain steady, according to data from Nielsen’s Homescan Consumer Facts report.  As male vanity continues to be all the rage, some sectors have shown solid growth: hair coloring grew 5.7 percent in 2008 over 2007, and in that year, growth was a miniscule 1.7 percent after two successive years of declining sales.   New products such as brush-in gel and liquid colorings drove last year’s growth.
Dollar sales of hair preparations such as gels, pomade and waxes slowed …

Americans’ affinity for chocolate is widespread and well-known.  Its household penetration is 97.3 percent, and 96.7 percent of households repeatedly buy chocolate during the year.  In a twelve-month period, Americans bought chocolate candy on nearly 19 occasions.
But even this ubiquitous treat doesn’t seem to be immune to current economic conditions.  Since summer, equalized unit volume (EUV) has dropped uncharacteristically as consumers try to save money in every possible category.  Since July 2008, EUV sales have declined from 1.7 percent to 7.3 percent per month.  The category includes four segments: chocolate …