``As market leaders in shave preparations, we are undertaking stronginitiatives to grow our shave preparations business. We are introducingseveral innovations in the shave preparations,'' said a companyspokesperson. While the company's move to resort to imports of the premiumshave foam products is attributable to low volumes in the domestic market,the plan to launch a sub-popular shave round is aimed at growing volumes inthe rural market and also some parts of the urban market with the low pricebeing the key to growth. In order to meet the growing demand forvalue-conscious consumers, the company is shortly introducing a shave roundwhich will priced at a discount to Palmolive Shave Cream.

Palmolive Shaving Cream is the largest selling in Colgate's shavepreparation kitty and has a market share of 23 per cent. Gillette claims tohave a 15 per cent market share (including its toiletry products).

Competitor Godrej Soaps already has a shaving round in the market, which thecompany sources say, is not as fast moving as Godrej Shaving cream. ThePalmolive range of shave preparation products, especially foams, have beenfacing competition from the premium range from Gillette which are beingpromoted heavily in the last two years. Both Godrej Shaving Cream andPalmolive Shaving Cream are priced on par at Rs 29 for 70 gm. In the shavefoam category, Gillette is priced at Rs 169.50. Gillette also comes in gelform priced at Rs 197. The total size of the male grooming market isestimated to be Rs 200 crore in 1999. In the previous year it was Rs 130crore. Of this, aerosol shave preparations account for Rs 100 crore of theoverall toiletries market. After shaves are at Rs 35 crore, while deodrantsare about Rs 65 crore.