Feminine Hygiene Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

Feminine Hygiene Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The global feminine hygiene market is projected to witness a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period (2021 - 2026).

Due to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, most governments worldwide announced strict lockdown measures for consumer goods manufacturing companies, such that either most factories were directed to be either shut down or operate with a limited workforce. This created massive disruptions in the supply and distribution chain for sanitary napkins at the peak of the lockdown, thus hampering the sales of the products studied in the market. However, as feminine hygiene products are categorized under essential items, their production and sales were soon normalized, thus stabilizing the market studied during the 2020 period.

Over the medium term, increasing awareness about female health and hygiene and the emergence of low-cost feminine hygiene products are expected to boost the demand for the feminine hygiene products market during the forecast period. As a result, the demand for products such as tampons, menstrual cups, and internal cleansers and sprays is expected to grow rapidly in more developed regions, such as North America and Western Europe.

Asia-Pacific is emerging as one of the emerging markets, owing to the higher penetration of sanitary pads in this region, though other menstrual hygiene products are still at a nascent stage in Asia. Personal hygiene awareness campaigns taken up by government agencies have contributed to an increase in demand for sanitary products in this region.

Some manufacturers use low-quality raw materials to produce hygiene products, causing concerns about an increase in allergies and vaginal infections. This has led to more awareness recalls, particularly in developing countries.

Key Market TrendsThe Dominant Position Held by the Sanitary Pad Segment

Globally, more women are getting educated about female hygiene products. However, the Asia-pacific market still prefers sanitary pads, whereas the Americans are gradually shifting toward tampons and menstrual cups. Various kinds of sanitary napkins/pads, like with wings, great absorbents, thin pads, cotton-filled pads, scented pads, etc., can be seen in various supermarkets and even convenience stores, thereby furthering its market share in the global market.

Moreover, countries around the world are witnessing an increasing number of promotions and educational sessions, due to the increasing prominence of social media and the various initiatives taken by the government and NGOs to increase awareness about the benefits of using menstrual hygiene products, such as sanitary napkins. ​

For instance, to make sanitary napkins more affordable and accessible, the Government of India, in 2019, announced the price reduction of Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins, which were launched in 2018, to INR 1 per pad, from INR 2.5. ​Such factors are expected to propel the demand for feminine hygiene products.

Increasing Measures of Women Hygiene in Asia-Pacific Driving the Market

The population of Asia-Pacific is huge and is growing further. Various companies have introduced different brands of feminine hygiene products for various economic sections of society. China’s local sanitary pads market emerges as the largest market, followed by the United States.

Though the awareness about hygiene products is less in the Asian markets, there is potential to be tapped into or explored by various companies. Owing to the increased demand for feminine hygiene products, the manufacturers in Asia-Pacific are launching various other products.

For instance, tampons were considered to be luxury products in India, and they were only used by few consumers in tier-1 cities. Moreover, with the surge of online retailing across the country, tier-2 and tier-3 consumers have also started driving the sales of tampons. ​For example, Visionaari, a Delhi-based (India) tampon manufacturer, claimed that about 50% of its orders now come from tier-2 and tier-3 regions, owing to easy access through the online retail channels.

Competitive Landscape

The global feminine hygiene market is highly competitive, with the presence of various global and regional companies. Some major global companies in the market include Procter and Gamble, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Unicharm Corporation, and Johnson & Johnson.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is one of the most active companies in the feminine hygiene market. The company has been involved in frequent launches of newly developed products in developing and potential countries to improve its market share. ​For instance, in 2019, Johnson & Johnson's brand Carefree® launched the acti-fresh® panty liners with new and improved twist resist technology that helps minimize bunching and twisting.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support

Companies

The Procter & Gamble Company
Kimberly
Clark Corporation
Unicharm Corporation
Johnson & Johnson
Essity AB
Ontex Group
Edgewell Personal Care
Unilever PLC
Wet and Dry Personal Care Pvt Ltd​
Kao Corporation
The Flex Company