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Where do the opportunities lie in Feminine Hygiene?



Sanitary protection currently stands at $22 billion globally and registered 10% growth in 2008, with rising uptake in emerging markets countering slowing sales in developed markets.



by Magdalena Kondej • global research manager, Euromonitor International




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At a regional level, Asia-Pacific accounts for 40% of sanitary product sales, followed by Western Europe, which accounts for 21%. However, in terms of value growth, it was Latin America and Eastern Europe which registered the biggest increases, growing by 19% and 18%, respectively. This drive in growth can be attributed to the rise in disposable income, which expanded the consumer base, thus, allowing consumers to trade up to more expensive products.

In terms of value growth, many Western European countries, including Switzerland, France and Portugal, posted declines in 2008, as did Japan, the only declining market in the Asia-Pacific region. These mature markets are suffering largely because of long-term demographic changes, as is North America at a regional level, which registered the lowest regional growth of 1%. Slowing birth rates have meant that fewer younger consumers are entering the sector than the number of elderly consumers leaving it, eroding the consumer base and forcing manufacturers to look for growth through innovation.