We talk here about sanitary napkins and companies selling them.Why do you ask? Because, as of 2020, 41% use hygienic menstruation protection methods in India and sanitary napkins are used the most, with approximately 17.63% of the menstruating women using them.
1. What are sanitary napkins?
Sanitary napkins/pads, also referred to as menstrual pads, are absorbent pads or feminine hygiene products worn by women during their menstrual cycle.
The need for these products arises as, only 18% use sanitary napkins out of total 365 million menstruating women in India, while the rest, living in semi-rural and rural areas, use unhygienic products (newspapers, cloths, rags, dried leaves, plastics, wood shavings) during menstruation.
2. Market
The female hygiene market was valued at INR 25.02 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach INR 58.62 billion by 2024, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of ~14.92% during the 2019-2024 period.Source: Feminine Hygiene Products Market in India 2020
3. Probable Partnerships
Use of them is dependent on different aspects, i.e., ease of menstruation, convenience, intensity, usage, and these together may cater to different segments in the target customer base.
There are a variety of potential partnerships that sanitary napkin companies could explore.
- Companies that make similar products, such as tampons or disposable/reusable pads. This type of partnership will allow both companies to share resources & knowledge and enhance product width.
- Other feminine hygiene consumer product companies. This would give the sanitary napkin company access to a larger customer base, as well as allow them to cross-promote their products.
- Charities or non-profit organizations to help promote menstrual health education and awareness. Another option would be to partner with non-profit organizations to increase awareness and education about women’s health issues. This could help the sanitary napkin company reach new audiences, as well as expand its CSR reach.
- Health and wellness companies could help promote the importance of good hygiene and staying healthy to their customers.
- Food and beverage companies could be a great choice for promoting sanitary napkins products because food cravings are common phenomena during the menstruation and pre-menstruation period.
4. Interesting Partnerships within the Sector
- In 2020, the homegrown brand Niine partnered with the IPL team Rajasthan Royals to amplify their campaign and drive awareness around the adoption of safe menstrual hygiene practices.
Source: Livemint
- Paree is a feminine brand that relates to modern Indian women and creates an open dialogue around Heavy Flow and PMS. With the aim to normalize the conversation around menstruation, Paree associated with MTV Splitsvilla X3, a dating reality show in 2021. Both brands intend to create a strong and approachable bond where partners understand each other’s needs.
Source: adgully
- Johnson & Johnson’ Stayfree® partnered with Menstrupedia to share self-help guides for family members wanting to talk about menstruation but did not know how to. The guide presented in a comic book format covers various softer aspects like choosing the right time to talk, how to prepare for the conversation, how to create a menstruation-friendly environment for daughters etc. More than 15000 comic books on menstrual education were distributed within 3 months since the initiation, in June 2020Source: Stayfree.in
