Amazon is driving sales within the US health and personal care sector, according to a report by One Click Retail.

Named ‘the Amazon effect’ the report highlighted that Amazon was the sole growth driver in the sector in the first quarter of 2017, with online sales showing positive growth – an area in which Amazon holds the largest market share.

The report highlighted that health and personal care sector showed a nominal decrease year on year in Q1 2017, with much of that attributed to the fall in retail sales. However, Amazon was highlighted as having changed relatively low penetration of the eCommerce channel and was suggested as the best growth opportunity for brands within the sector.

Looking at how Amazon sales compare to the overall health and personal care sector, Amazon posted year on year growth of 30 percent, while the sector as a whole fell 1 percent,

Within the sector, skin care saw the biggest growth for Amazon US, up 85 percent, while shaving & hair removal was boosted the most in the UK, up 93 percent. Home storage and health care were the next big hitters for Amazon.com, while health care and skincare were number two and three respectively for Amazon.co.uk.

The highest growth brand for the US site was Pampers, up 700 percent, while the UK saw Durex soar in sales, up 850 percent.