Give the Ladies What They Want

The baby boomer generation isn’t booming as much anymore.

Female consumers in this long-dominant population segment are aging out of their childbearing years and have little need for sanitary protection products such as pads, tampons and liners, which comprise the largest segment of the feminine hygiene product category

As for younger, premenopausal women, they have been keeping category sales relatively flat since 2008, says global market research firm Mintel in its May 2014 “Feminine Hygiene and Sanitary Protection Products — US” report. And they will keep sales on the same course through 2018, when sales are expected to total about $5.6 billion.

The fortunate news for the category, though, is that women are starting puberty earlier and having fewer children than previous generations did, keeping younger women in the market for sanitary protection longer, Mintel notes.

On the other end of the age spectrum, Mintel says, middle-aged and older women are more likely to experience bladder leakage and incontinence, creating a need for protective products, as well as cleansing and freshening items.

What do they want?

Mintel explains that a bit more than half of women surveyed have used a feminine hygiene product in the six months preceding the survey and usage is somewhat higher in the 35- to 44-year-old age group.

In terms of specific products in the feminine hygiene category, women mostly seek pH-balanced, feminine-specific cleansing products such as wipes, as well as panty fresheners, Mintel notes. These products have helped the category grow sales over the past few years.

Innovation, too, is a big driver in the category. Beth Richman, vice president, sales at Reidsville, N.C.-based Albaad USA Inc., points to dual-use items — products that cross both the feminine hygiene and the adult incontinence categories — as one of the strongest emerging product trends.

Girls are entering the feminine hygiene category at a much younger age, she explains, while women are exiting that category and entering the adult incontinence category at a younger age.

Another area of opportunity lies in national-brand-equivalent feminine hygiene wipes with milder formulas, says a spokesperson for U.S. Nonwovens Corp., Brentwood, N.Y. Retailers offering these under their own brands generate more traffic to the feminine hygiene category and position themselves as a destination for women.

And dont forget about small-count packages and individual packets, which cater to the on-the-go shopper, says Priscilla Devine, senior marketing manager with Orangeburg, N.Y.-based Nice-Pak Products Inc.

“The compact size and portability make out-of-home use easy and convenient,” she notes.

Of course, multipacks containing several types of sanitary protection products — pads, liners and tampons, for example — also should be considered for retailers’ store brand assortment.

“We are seeing that the combo packages of both pads/liners and tampons are another example of making the shopping experience easier and giving the customer an ‘all in one’ experience,” Richman says.

But if they have to choose between a pack of tampons or a pack of pads, menstruating women tend to favor pads. And although women who use tampons are likely to also use pads, pad-users are not likely to use tampons.

Look beyond the product

It takes more than carrying the right products to win the sale, though; messaging and graphics also play an important role in attracting shoppers to the store brand. And graphics are becoming even more important, as women want decorative packaging for both the products they use at home and the ones they use on the go, Devine says.

Richman agrees.

“Bold, vibrant graphics sell product,” she explains. “Differentiating by packaging type and color seems to be most effective.”

Price disparity, too, is the key to selling store brand feminine hygiene products, Richman states. She also says bonus and free-on-pack samples of other products help to win the purchase and support success in the private label feminine care category.

“Many impulse purchases are made through this type of attention at shelf level,” she explains.

And retailers should always monitor products in the category — on both the store brand and the national brand sides. Devine notes that continual monitoring of store brand product performance is necessary to know where adjustments must be made.

Meanwhile, Richman explains that retailers must monitor promotional activity on the national brand side and appropriately adjust pricing and promotions of their own-brand counterparts.

“With aggressive brand promotional activity, store brand managers need to protect their retails and sales when the brand is promoted. … Price disparity must be maintained at regular retails and promotional retails,” Richman says.

Of course, there’s always a chance that certain shoppers might not even see the store brand offerings on shelves. Mintel notes that 18- to 24-year-old women are the most skittish feminine care product consumers, reportedly experiencing embarrassment and confusion when purchasing products in the category. To reach these consumers, retailers should consider online delivery services, Mintel suggests.

Do consider offering dual-use items that cross the feminine hygiene and the adult incontinence categories.

Don’t use muted colors — bold, vibrant colors help feminine hygiene products sell.

Do monitor national brand promotional activity and shield own-brand prices accordingly.

Don’t forget about small-count packages, which cater to the on-the-go shopper.