Salon industry confident and men demanding more services

The majority of hair and beauty professional across the UK remain positive about their businesses despite the economic climate, research by Salon Services reveals.

The wholesalers' Beautiful Britain 2013 report reveals that on average 96% of 2,618 Salon Services customers surveyed expected to maintain or increase employee numbers over the next 12 months and 87% felt the same or increased levels of optimism for the year ahead, compared to this time last year. 

Other findings include that 70% of salons plan to maintain the same level of staff during 2013; the North East is a hiring hot spot, with 50% of salons in this region looking to take on new staff during the course of the year.

Findings also suggest that male grooming is becoming more mainstream, with an increasing number of male clients visiting salons for an expanding range of treatments and services. Haircuts remain the top treatment for men, followed by hair removal and massage.

Commented Alan Revitt, commercial and marketing director, Salon Services UK & Ireland: "Hair and beauty professionals need to take advantage of the fact that UK men are interested in treating themselves while at the same time making an effort to look more polished. It's important for beauty professionals to provide something beyond just a haircut for men."

For women a cut is the most popular service requested, followed by colour and manicure.

Both sexes are increasingly opting for additional beauty treatments when visiting a salon, research suggests.

Said Clair Seymour, category manager for training, Salon Services UK & Ireland: "As this year's survey shows, both men and women are spending more on beauty treatments. There are now even more opportunities in both the male and female markets to cross-sell and increase revenue by expanding into beauty treatments and invest in the necessary training to complement existing services."