Time for something new

Things havent been looking so good in the U.S. feminine hygiene market. According to data from Information Resources Inc. (IRI), Chicago, overall sanitary napkins and liners, tampons, douches and vaginal treatments saw unit sales declines during the 52 weeks ending Oct. 6, 2013 (see the table, p. 76). And private label didnt fare much better – the only category that saw a reasonable unit sales gain here during the same period is store brand sanitary napkins and liners.

But despite the dismal performance, retailers still have an opportunity to grow sales of their own-brand feminine hygiene products. They just need to add a little innovation.

Overhaul packaging

One way retailers could improve store brand sales in this category is through a packaging revamp. Currently, the feminine hygiene category is not the most interesting one to shop, states Martine Hénault, marketing director, FemPro, Drummondville, Quebec, because it is difficult for consumers to find many truly differentiated products.

On the national brand side, manufacturers in recent years have created packaging that promotes a premium, personalized and stylish look, states market research firm Euromonitor, Chicago, in "Sanitary Protection in the U.S.," a June 2013 report. These new colorful designer packaging and wrappers are specifically designed to catch the eye of female shoppers.

By rolling out products such as these, national brands are looking to catch the eye of young female consumers in particular, Hénault states, with the hope that these ladies will remain loyal customers for many years.

Do
differentiate your packaging to catch the consumers eye.

Dont
forget to include relevant convenience and free-from claims on the packaging.

And the national brands have good reason to desire this loyalty: In its May 2013 "Feminine Hygiene and Sanitary Protection Products – US" report, global market researcher Mintel says slightly more than one-third of feminine hygiene product users always choose their one preferred brand when shopping.

However, this opportunity to create and increase brand loyalty with a change in packaging exists not only for national brands, but also for private label. Although packaging should be as simple and clear as possible for own-brand feminine hygiene products, Hénault advises against using the same standardized packaging that houses other private label products throughout the store.

"When retailers use the same packaging for private label across the entire store," she says, "the color code or the logo is sometimes difficult to adapt, too masculine, or it sends a mixed message when the category is already difficult to shop and has its own color codes."

Claims are important

Also in regard to packaging, retailers should pay attention to product claims. For North American consumers, convenience is one of the most desired aspects of feminine care products, states Mintel in its December 2012 "Category Insight: Feminine Hygiene and Incontinence Products" report. During the 52 weeks ending September 2012, 14 percent of all feminine hygiene and incontinence products contained the claim "easy-to-use"; 9 percent claimed to be "suitable on-the-go"; and 8 percent claimed to have convenient packaging.

"Free-from" claims are also important to North American consumers of feminine hygiene products. With such intimate products, many women are concerned about potential irritants and synthetic ingredients used in the materials. According to Mintels December report, one-fifth of the North American launches in the year ending September 2012 had "fragrance-free" claims, and 5 percent of launches had "no additives or preservatives" claims.

Explore new possibilities

Besides feminine hygiene products, retailers could also consider offering other feminine care products – such as sprays, douches – to increase sales. They also should consider offering intimate wipes, where small-count packages and individual packets are the most significant trend, says Priscilla Devine, senior marketing manager, personal care for Orangeburg, N.Y..-based Nice-Pak Products Inc. The compact size and portability make out-of-home use easy and convenient.

Another way retailers could improve sales within this category is by taking a look at trends that have traction in other areas of the world. For example, with an ever-increasing Hispanic population in the United States, retailers could look to Latin America for some insights on what is important to the Hispanic female consumer. Mintel states in its December report that for the year ending September 2012, one-quarter of all new launches in Latin America used botanical or herbal ingredients such as aloe vera and chamomile to help prevent irritation, and melaleuca oil to kill odor-causing bacteria.

In Europe, women want eco-friendly products such as biodegradable tampons and applicators, as well as products that come from renewable resources, the December Mintel report states.

Do
look to trends in other areas the world for R&D inspiration.

Dont
overlook the importance of sampling your feminine hygiene products.

Sample it

When merchandising and marketing feminine hygiene and feminine care products, retailers should focus on a few main things. According to Mintels May report, sampling products is the No. 1 way to get women to switch brands, with 57 percent of sanitary protection product users switching brands because they received a sample. For retailers, this could mean placing samples in the store aisles so that women can see and feel the product before purchasing it, or running a "buy theirs, get ours free" promotion.

With feminine wipes, retailers should keep in mind that most women begin using store brand wipes in the baby care category, Devine states. If that consumer has a positive experience, she will return to try other wipes in other categories, she adds. Therefore, retailers could place shelf talkers in other areas of the store women often shop as a reminder to stock up on their feminine care products – particularly, those under the retailers brand.

Additionally, retailers will need to use more aggressive and creative promotions to drive the category forward, says Sam Hacohen, vice president sales and marketing for Albaad USA, Reidsville, N.C. Efforts could include cross-promotions, multi-buys, innovative packaging or new color schemes. However, retailers might not want to use price promotions, as they drive the category down.

Also important are products targeted to specific age groups, Hacohen adds. Teens and young adults differ greatly from middle-aged women in what attributes they want from their feminine care products.