What you need to know

Sales of sanitary protection products have declined in recent years, presenting a challenge to the feminine care category. Additionally, a desire to save money leads to women seeking less expensive alternatives, such as private label brands.

Within the feminine care products category, product efficacy continues to remain important to women. This report explores the various product innovations most likely to resonate with women and offers suggestions for marketing strategies. The report will also explore the growing trend of products marketed toward keeping women clean and hygienic, as well as how an aging population impacts the category.

This report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Feminine Hygiene and Sanitary Protection Products—US, May 2013, as well as Mintel’s Sanitary Protection and Feminine Supplies—US, May 2012, and the May 2010, November 2008, and September 2006 reports of the same title.

Definition

This report will include all internal and external products for sanitary protection and feminine hygiene needs, including the following:

  • Sanitary protection products:

  • Sanitary pads, including napkins and liners/shields (Note: throughout this report, the terms sanitary napkin and pad will be used interchangeably)

  • Tampons, including plastic applicator, cardboard applicator, non-applicator tampons, as well as menstrual cups

  • Adult incontinence products, (also referred to as bladder leakage or LBL products) including pads and briefs

  • Feminine hygiene products, including douches, wipes, vaginal treatments, and other feminine hygiene products (such as deodorants or vaginal anti-itch products)

The entire category is referred to throughout the report as “feminine care.”

Products that are excluded include:

  • Personal lubricants (see Contraceptives—US, July 2014)

  • Contraceptive products (see Contraceptives—US, July 2014)

  • Prescription products (i.e., for yeast infections)

  • OTC (Over the counter) and prescription medications, vitamins, supplements, or premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menopause products (see Analgesics—US, June 2014, which covers OTC feminine pain relievers)

Value figures throughout this report are at retail selling prices (rsp) excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated.

Data sources

Sales data

  • Market Size, Forecast and Segment Performance: Total retail sales based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; US Census Bureau, Economic Census; Progressive Grocer's Consumer Expenditures Study.

  • Retail Channels: based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; US Census Bureau, Economic Census; Progressive Grocer's Consumer Expenditures Study; except supermarket and drugstore sales, which are based on SymphonyIRI Group InfoScan® Reviews.

  • Leading Companies and Brand Share: based on MULO sales data from Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan® Reviews. MULO is defined as Multi Outlet, representative of the following channels: total US Grocery, Mass, Total US Drug, Total Walmart, Dollar, Military, and Club.

Consumer survey data

For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore consumer use of and attitudes toward feminine care products. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in March 2014 among a sample of 1,052 female adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.

Mintel selects survey respondents by gender, age, household income, and region so that they are proportionally representative of the US adult population using the internet. Mintel also slightly over-samples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in our survey results and to allow for more precise parameter estimates from our reported findings. Please note that Mintel surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in the survey results.

Mintel has also analyzed data from Experian Marketing Services, using the Simmons NCS (National Consumer Study), the Simmons NHCS (National Hispanic Consumer Study), and the Simmons NCS Teen Study.

The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS/NHCS was carried out during November 2012 - December 2013 and the results are based on the sample of 13,425 female adults aged 18+, with results weighted to represent the US adult population. Additional data from Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 are included for October 2007-December 2008, November 2008-December 2009, October 2009-December 2010, October 2010-November 2011, October 2011-November 2012, and November 2012-December 2013.

The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS Teen Study was conducted during November 2012-December 2013 and based on a sample of 906 female teenagers aged 12-17, with results weighted to represent the US teen population. Additional data from Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS Teen study for Fall 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 are included for December 2007-December 2008, November 2008-December 2009, October 2009-December 2010, October 2010-November 2011, October 2011-November 2012, and November 2012-December 2013.

While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (White, Black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.

Abbreviations and terms

Abbreviations

The following is a list of abbreviations used in this report.

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CHPA Consumer Healthcare Products Association
CPI Consumer Price Index
DPI Disposable Personal Income
LBL Light Bladder Leakage
MULO Multi Outlet, representative of following channels: total US Grocery, Mass, Total US Drug, Total Walmart, Dollar, Military and Club
NHANES National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
NHCS National Consumer Study /National Hispanic Consumer Study (Experian Marketing Services)
: :
: :

Generations, if discussed within this report, are defined as:

World War II/ Swing generations Members of the WWII generation were born in 1932 or before and are aged 82 or older in 2014. Members of the Swing Generation were born from 1933-1945 and are aged 69-81 in 2014.
Baby Boomers The generation born between 1946 and 1964. In 2014, Baby Boomers are between the ages of 50 and 68.
Generation X The generation born between 1965 and 1976. In 2014, Gen Xers are between the ages of 38 and 49.
Millennials* Born between 1977 and 1994, Millennials are aged 20 to 37 in 2014.
iGeneration Born between 1995 and 2007, members of iGen are aged 7 to 19 in 2014
Emerging generation The newest generation began in 2008 as the annual number of births declined sharply with the recession. In 2014 members of this as-yet unnamed generation are under age 7.

* also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers

In order to provide an inflation-adjusted price value for markets, Mintel uses the CPI to deflate current prices. The CPI is defined as follows:

CPI The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services.

The CPI and its components are typically used to adjust other economic series for price changes and to translate these series into inflation-free dollars. Examples of series adjusted by the CPI include retail sales, hourly and weekly earnings, and components of the national income and product accounts. In addition, and in Mintel reports, the CPI is used as a deflator of the value of the consumer’s dollar to find its purchasing power. The purchasing power of the consumer's dollar measures the change in the value to the consumer of goods and services that a dollar will buy at different dates.

The CPI is generally the best measure for adjusting payments to consumers when the intent is to allow consumers to purchase, at today’s prices, a market basket of goods and services equivalent to one that they could purchase in an earlier period. It is also the best measure to use to translate retail sales into real or inflation-free dollars.

Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics definition.

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