Millennials find bar soap gross, sales declining

(WJBK) - Is bar soap gross?

New data from the overseas research company Mintel says bar soap sales have dropped over the years, and that a bar of soap is becoming less common of a household item.

Why? It just may be because millennials think it's gross.

According to the study, almost half of all U.S. consumers think bar soap is covered in germs after use. The feeling is especially strong among those aged 18 to 24, and less strong for those aged 65 and older.

Half of users think it's fine to wash your face with a bar of soap, though once again the data points out a generational difference.

About 60 percent of those who wash their face with bar soap are 65 and older, while a much smaller percentage than that are in the 25-34 range. Moreso, men are more likely to wash their face with a bar of soap than women.

A majority of consumers also think bar soaps are less convenient that liquid soaps.

Mintel found that sales for bar soap slipped 2.2 percent between 2014-15, and the percentage of households using bar soap dropped from 89 percent to 84 percent.

You can read the full findings of the report at Mintel.com.

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