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Feminine Hygiene and Sanitary Protection Products: Incl Impact of COVID-19 - US - September 2020
Overview
 
What you need to know
US retail sales of feminine hygiene and sanitary protection products are estimated to increase by 3.5% in 2020, outpacing year-over-year category growth since 2015. In the past several years, the feminine care industry has welcomed many up and coming brands that have shaken up quality standards and consumer expectations. Ingredient transparency, use of sustainable and natural/organic materials, concern about plastic consumption and purpose-driven brands are top-of-mind for category users. Being a category that caters to younger, female consumers, key players that have implemented fresh perspectives on period care are driving market growth.

Key issues covered in this Report
●	The impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior and feminine hygiene and sanitary protection products
●	Impact of recessionary spending on mainstream feminine care brands
●	Opportunity for brands to step in as experts in feminine health and hygiene
●	How stacking purposeful benefits can drive the category forward

Definition
This Report includes internal and external products for sanitary protection and feminine hygiene needs, including the following products:

●	Feminine hygiene products, including douches, wipes, vaginal treatments and other feminine hygiene products (such as deodorants or vaginal anti-itch products)
●	Sanitary pads, including napkins and liners/shields (Note: throughout this Report, the terms sanitary napkin and pad will be used interchangeably.)
●	Tampons/menstrual cups, including plastic applicator, cardboard applicator, nonapplicator tampons and menstrual cups

The following are excluded from this Report:

●	Personal lubricants (see Mintel’s Contraceptives and Sexual Health – US, October 2019 Report)
●	Contraceptive products (see Mintel’s Contraceptives and Sexual Health – US, October 2019 Report)
●	OTC and prescription medications, vitamins and supplements, including products specifically for symptoms related to PMS or menopause.

COVID-19: Market context
Consumer research for this Report was fielded in June 2020 and reflects consumer’s attitudes and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic as restrictions on movement began to ease and businesses began to reopen across the US. The Report was written August 31-September 18, 2020, when all states were open but some states began rolling back and reinstating restrictions due to increasing COVID-19 cases.

Economic and other assumptions
The forecast of feminine hygiene and sanitary protection retail sales is influenced by a variety of macroeconomic indicators and qualitative factors. For example, growth of the population of women aged 25-44 compared to the population of women aged 45-64 impacts the feminine hygiene and sanitary protection market due to maturing women reaching menopause and no longer needing absorption products for menstruation. In 2025, the US Census Bureau anticipates nearly 46 million women will be 25-44 in the US compared to 42 million aged 45-64, meaning there is a stable market of menstruating women for the years to come.

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