Why Feminine Hygiene Holds Huge Entrepreneurial Opportunity

Feminine hygiene is one of the most developing categories in the FMCG industry of India. Feminine hygiene is segmented mainly into the sanitary napkin, panty liner, tampon, and other products which includes internal cleansers & sprays and disposable razors & blades. Driven by the increasing awareness over the importance of empowering women through the promotion of menstrual health, the global market for feminine hygiene products is projected to exceed the US $36 billion by 2024.

With over 50% of the world female population being of reproductive age, the opportunity is huge.  The Indian feminine hygiene market is less penetrated and dimly competitive. Thus, opening a whole world of business opportunities in this industry. Below are the reasons why investing in the feminine hygiene business is profitable.

Growing Awareness

There is a wave of women empowerment all around the globe.  Growing concern and awareness about female hygiene & menstrual health is boosting this industry. Especially in the rural & small town areas, where women are now taking control of their menstrual hygiene, and opting for sanitary products like pads, tampons etc rather than dirty clothes.

Sanitary napkins/pads are most popular feminine hygiene product that is expected to grow at a considerable pace due to its easy availability coupled with initiatives taken by government and NGO’s in different countries to educate females regarding hygiene.

Increasing Disposable Income

Changing lifestyle and increasing per capita income is also boosting the development of feminine hygiene products across the globe. With the increase in disposable income and a decrease in the cost of feminine products, there has been a significant demand of these products, thus driving the growth of the industry.

Organic & Natural Products

There is a wave of “go green” in almost every industry. With the increase in demand for feminine hygiene products, players operating within the market are coming up with different kind of innovation within different feminine hygiene products to entice the consumers.

Women are demanding a more natural & chemical-free alternative to pads & tampons, as these may cause skin irritation or health problems in some cases. Thus, brands offering organic sanitary products are increasing in popularity.

Increased availability

Gone are the days when women had to buy sanitary products from their nearby pharmacy, wrapped in paper or black plastic. With the increase in distribution channel such as hypermarket, supermarket & e-commerce sites, women now have the option of exploring all the products available in the market and purchase the ones that are suitable for them.

The growing popularity of e-commerce is increasingly making it easier for females to browse and purchase from a wide range of feminine hygiene products at the convenience of their homes. Moreover, online retailing opens up new avenues for a large number of vendors to sell and market these products and thus expand their business in terms of product availability and accessibility. It is forecasted that with increased penetration of the internet, especially in tier II and tier III cities, will enable many businesses to widen their customer base for their products.