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

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

India's feminine hygiene market is valued at USD 896.75 million and is projected to witness a CAGR of 14.7% during the forecast period (2022-2027).

During the pandemic COVID-19, the people living in poverty faced barriers to obtaining menstrual hygiene supplies and related health services with the lockdown, rising costs, and economic uncertainty. During the initial lockdown phase, sanitary napkins were not included in the list of essential items, which resulted in severe production and supply disruption that led to a shortage at chemists, grocery stores, and e-commerce websites. But on March 29, 2020, Ajay Bhalla, the home secretary to India, clarified to chief secretaries of all the states via an addendum that sanitary napkins were to be included in the list of essential items. As these products were categorized under essential items, their production and sales were normalized, thus stabilizing the market studied during 2021.

Over the medium term, the increasing awareness about intimate hygiene and an increase in preference for menstrual products, like sanitary pads, tampons, and panty liners, have increased the demand for feminine hygiene products in the country. Furthermore, the Government of India has launched several awareness programs across the country about women's menstrual hygiene, and menstruation continues to be a taboo, especially in rural areas, impeding the growth of the market studied.

Key Market Trends

Technological Evolutions Coupled with Increasing Penetration of Global Brands in the Market

The feminine hygiene products market is highly influenced by the factors such as softness, absorbency, performance, brand loyalty, good price, and value. Nevertheless, unlike the earlier traditional pads that lasted only a few hours, consumers now demand menstrual products with increased absorption technology. Thus the manufacturers are providing menstrual products with optimized absorbent cores that enhance performance in fluid distribution material. The market is still dominated by Sanitary napkins. However, the growing appetite for intimate care products, urinary cups, and tampons is driving the increasing number of products launched in the country. The country has witnessed organic and eco-friendly brands entering the market as an option for more environmentally conscious consumers.

The demand for feminine hygiene products is growing in urban areas significantly, pushing the market to offer personalized and eco-friendly options. Due to its cost-effectiveness, an increase in the demand for eco-friendly products in female hygiene. Apart from cost-effectiveness, minimal waste generation is another major driving factor behind the increased adoption of products like menstrual cups and reusable cloth pads.

Emergence of More Start-Ups ( Self Help Groups) and Funding

In transforming society, feminine hygiene products, primarily sanitary pads, have given the highest contribution. In India, consumers choose sanitary pads because menstrual hygiene has co e forward in society for several reasons. This has given the sanitary pads market a big push in the IndiIndianlness industry. The increased focus on feminine hygiene in the country has resulted in an increasing number of domestic startups, NGOs, and self-help groups trying to tap into this market by overcoming the industry's major challenges, including a lack of awareness and affordability.

Menstrual startups have emerged in the past few years and are actively using technology to reach over 300 million women who lack access to menstrual hygiene products and awareness. These startups are providing affordable sanitary napkins to underprivileged women in rural areas. For instance, Mumbai-basedsaral designs, backed by Powai valley angel investors, is a product-driven start-up that focuses on providing affordable and high-quality sanitary napkins.

Competitive Landscape

The Indian feminine hygiene market is highly competitive, with cut-throat competition among the market players to increase their share in the studied market. In terms of market share, the market is dominated by players such as the Procter and Gamble Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Unicharm Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Private Limited, and Essity AB, among others. The manufacturers are investing a heavy amount of advertising and promotional activities to increase their consumer base by capturing their attention and gaining a competitive advantage in the country. Furthermore, private label feminine hygiene product manufacturers have been giving tough competition to the existing players regarding product offerings, packaging, and pricing.

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