Protection With Discretion
To meet the needs of a growing aging population, store brand adult incontinence options must provide dependable protection tailored for an active lifestyle.
Aging gracefully can be easier said than done. While we might be willing to live with a little less pep in our step, some things cannot be compromised. When it comes to adult incontinence, maintaining one's confidence, independence and — most of all — dignity becomes fundamental to overall quality of life.
Adult incontinence is not exclusive to seniors, however; nor is incontinence necessarily a natural part of aging. Of the 25 million or so adult Americans who experience incontinence at least occasionally, a good number of them cite pregnancy, illness or genetics as the primary cause, according to the National Association for Continence (NAFC). Of the non-profit organization's objectives, educating the public is central to removing the stigma associated with incontinence.
According to a 2010 article from global market researcher Euromonitor International, adult incontinence products are projected to realize 6 percent compound annual growth in the United States to 2014, higher than in any other tissue and hygiene sector. In fact, the article says, growth could be even stronger if companies enacted "bolder investment initiatives" in three key areas: product innovation, segmentation and marketing.
Dependable, discreet
Data from The Nielsen Co., New York, show that dollar sales of all brands of adult incontinence products within the United States grew 2 percent for the 52 weeks ending Feb. 19, reaching just more than $1 billion (food, drug and mass merchandiser stores, including Walmart). Unit sales for all brands also got a bump, posting a 3.7 percent increase during the same time period.
Private label, on the other hand, was less successful. Dollar sales of store brand adult incontinence products slipped 3.5 percent to $321 million during the same timeframe.
Unit sales also were off — by 2.6 percent.
But the category certainly represents a growth opportunity for store brands.
"The population is aging, and the 65 and older group is expected to grow 35 percent by 2020," says William J. Lutz, vice president of sales and marketing for Hauppauge, N.Y.-based Premier Care Industries, a maker of private label adult incontinence products.
Although the segment could see double-digit growth in the coming years, he adds, store brand adult incontinence products will have to work harder to stake their claim.
Adult diapers that resemble actual underwear, down to the actual packaging and tailoring to men and women separately, are adding innovation to the adult incontinence category. Store brand options currently are trying to match the national brand's impact with similar products.
"I believe packaging the adult underwear products in smaller counts than the adult incontinence diapers is a way to differentiate at the shelf," Lutz says, "but priced at a 30 to 50 percent [lower] price point."
Opportunities for store brand gender-specific products also could be further explored. It's worth noting that, according to the NAFC, women make up approximately 80 percent of the adult Americans who use incontinence products. Pads, liners, underwear and other products are available for private labeling to address the full range of absorbency needed for different levels of bladder leakage — from light to heavy.
Absorbency, odor protection and leakage protection always will be at the top of the list of must-haves for adult incontinence products. But store brand products will have to provide the consumer with a positive experience — one that is in line with his or her still-active lifestyle and tailored to his or her specific needs.
Do invest in innovations ranging from thinner absorbent materials to gender-specific products.
Don't forget that many of today's users of adult incontinence products lead active lifestyles — marketing efforts should reflect that reality.
