Introduction: British wellbeing specialist Feather & Down is leveraging its reputation as ‘the UK’s number one sleep brand’ to expand into travel retail, tapping into the growing demand for wellness among travellers. In this interview, Senior Brand Manager Clare Robertson underlines the brand’s mission to help travellers sleep better no matter where they are going. She also emphasises the importance of travel retail as a platform for global expansion.
What is the connection between beauty, wellness and sleep, and how does Feather & Down embody this connection?
There is a strong link between beauty, wellness and sleep, and it’s something we’re deeply committed to at Feather & Down. In the UK alone, over 23 million adults are struggling with sleep and 48% report that poor sleep negatively affects their mental health. Our mission is to help the nation sleep better.
As the UK’s number one sleep brand (Kantar, Sleep Toiletries, April), we focus on guiding consumers towards re-establishing a nighttime routine.
This begins with a relaxing bath or shower, followed by our magnesium body butter or hydrating mist, and finishes with a spritz of our award-winning pillow spray. The combination of our lavender and chamomile-infused products makes this process accessible and effective, as shown by our independent study, which reports that 83% of users fell asleep quicker and 91% felt calmer and more tranquil.
As consumers increasingly prioritise wellness in their beauty routines, how is Feather & Down innovating to meet this demand and what strategies is the company employing, particularly in the travel retail sector?
We are continually innovating by working with sleep doctors and R&D experts to offer effective yet affordable sleep solutions.
Recognising the demand for wellness while travelling, we’ve introduced 50ml travel sizes of our products. Our ‘Perfect Partners’ set, featuring a rollerball and pillow spray, is ideal for on-the-go relaxation. The rollerball can be applied to pulse points for a calming lavender and chamomile aroma, providing a convenient way for travellers to incorporate sleep and wellness into their routine, no matter where they are.
Having established a strong following in the UK, our next step is international expansion, with travel retail being a key focus. Sleep and wellness are global concerns, and we believe the travel industry is well-positioned to cater to this. With sleep tourism on the rise and more people travelling to rest and recharge, we see an opportunity to extend our reach.
We’ll be attending the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes [29 September-3 October] to explore potential partnerships and expand our presence in the travel retail market.
With wellness being a significant trend in the beauty industry, how does Feather & Down differentiate itself from competitors in the travel retail space? And can you share any upcoming product launches or exclusive collections for travel retail?
As the UK’s number one sleep brand, people trust us to deliver effective sleep solutions. What sets us apart is our accessible pricing, which allows consumers to adopt the entire sleep routine without feeling like it’s an out-of-reach luxury.
In travel retail, we aim to partner with retailers who can help us communicate the importance of a sleep routine. We’ve seen great success in the UK with clear in-store communication supported by statistics, and we want to replicate that approach internationally.
We are currently in discussions with several travel retail partners to create bespoke kits featuring our relax-unwind-sleep products. These kits will be tailored for the travel market and may include additional items like self-heating eye masks or soft sleep socks to make the journey even more comfortable.
We are also developing a condensed range focused on key ingredients linked to sleep and wellness, though those details remain under wraps for now.
What is your key consumer audience, and how are you targeting these consumers?
While our core customer base tends to be women aged 25 and above, sleep difficulties can affect anyone at any stage of life. In fact, Mintel has reported that sleep deprivation is the number one effect of stress in the UK. We want to reach anyone who struggles to sleep, whether they’re purchasing our products as a thoughtful gift, a self-care treat or as loyal customers looking to maintain their sleep routine on the go.
Our goal is to educate consumers on how our products work and back that up with solid data.
What does a good partnership look like to you in travel retail? What more can retailers do to enhance the appeal of your beauty category to travellers?
A good partnership involves retailers who understand that our unique selling point lies in offering a full selfcare routine that promotes better sleep. Effectively communicating this to travellers is crucial to success, especially backed by our status as the UK’s number one sleep brand.
Retailers can enhance the in-store experience by emphasising the routine, showcasing our product statistics, and perhaps even diffusing our lavender and chamomile scent to create a calming atmosphere.
Our goal is to partner with the right retailers across global travel retail to help more people improve their sleep. Given that sleep deprivation affects such a large proportion of the population, we believe our products offer a trusted and effective solution.
By building on our reputation as the UK’s number one sleep brand, we aim to stand out in travel retail through our commitment to wellness and accessibility, making sleep solutions available to travellers everywhere. ✈
