Feminine wiles

Women seek feminine care information and community online, then buy products in-store.

There are still some places where menstruation is a taboo subject. The Internet is not one of them.

Women, especially Millennials, are ready, willing and able to discuss various health issues online, and are eager to share information about new feminine care products. Better for retailers, these shoppers are more likely to buy the items at brick-and-mortar stores than online. Industry observers say that creates opportunities for manufacturers of innovative feminine care products, and for retailers that know how to communicate with these shoppers once they are in the stores.

According to Hygiene Matters 2014, a consumer study by the global hygiene and forest products company SCA, 54% of women say they use the Internet to find specific information on issues of personal hygiene and health, and 48% of women use the Internet to find information on which hygiene products to use and buy.

Woman also communicated with each other online. The study, which polled 13,500 men and women worldwide on hygiene, health and wellbeing, also notes that 18% of women used the Internet to get in contact with people with similar personal hygiene and health issues, and 18% of women searched for information through apps on their smartphones.

Most feminine care products manufacturers know that women are searching for information online, and the companies are boosting their online presence. Many have created videos, quizzes, photos and even games to promote product innovations. “We are seeing a big shift away from traditional advertising media like TV and print to digital and social,” says John Szustaczek, director of sales and marketing for Diva International, based in Kitchener, Ont., Canada. “We are heavily involved as well. The younger audience does not consume television the way older generations do.”

Instead of watching an episode of their favorite show on the night it is scheduled to air, Millennials often watch marathon sessions of entire seasons on their tablets. “They do not see a commercial,” says Szustaczek. “They are watching all their television through Netflix or other streaming services.”

As a result, Diva International has adapted to changes in social media to get the word out about the reusable silicone DivaCup. The company uses Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube. The official DivaCup YouTube channel features videos on everything from how the product works to product reviews, an important part of any social media strategy. “If I want to buy something I YouTube it,” says Szustaczek, adding that this is true for products such as electronics and also for consumer packaged goods. “You find hundreds of videos of instructions and of the unboxing of the product.”

Of course women are looking for more than what the product looks like outside of its packaging. They are also looking for products that are sustainable and relevant to their healthy lifestyles, says Szustaczek. The company’s social media campaigns offer information about how the product does not create the environmental issues associated with the materials used in tampons and pads, and the reusable nature of the DivaCup means the user does not have to buy new items as often.

In addition to health-related and product information, the DivaCup website has a section on where to buy. Despite all the online research Millennials seem to conduct, they do end up shopping in stores, especially for feminine care products. That is according to Who Are the Millennial Shoppers, and What Do They Really Want? a 2014 report by Accenture. The study indicates that Millennials prefer shopping in brick-and-mortar retailers versus online for certain items.

When the feminine care consumer gets to the store, they see signage and displays from Diva that communicate more information about the product. Szustaczek says the company also provides training to store staff, such as pharmacists. Diva International plans to introduce another product to add to its lineup in early 2016.

Merchandising in-store is indeed important for driving strong category growth, says Kanchan Patkar, brand director for Neenah, Wis.-based Kotex. “Features and displays drive stronger incremental sales than just TPRs alone,” she says.

It also helps to have the proper assortment. Grocery retailers can drive sales if they have the right SKU selection, says Patkar. “Consumers tend to be loyal to product form and pack size, so we have seen that retailers growing their business faster than the overall category have a balance of offerings to meet the needs of the shopper,” she says. “Retailers should consider only maintaining or adding SKUs that are truly differentiated and bring in incremental sales.”

Last year Kotex, a brand of Dallas-based Kimberly-Clark, rebranded and repackaged its Kotex Naturals line, which became part of the U by Kotex line. Kotex also launched 3D Capture Core, which is available on all U by Kotex Ultra Thin pads. The feature is a center that locks away wetness to help stop leaks. To promote the new item, Kotex used the Save the Undies theme in its marketing campaign, including educational videos, games and quizzes on its website and other social media. The Facebook page asks visitors to send their favorite period stories for a chance to win a prize, and the Instagram page shows artwork made from tampons and other photos. 

The efforts are to reach a new, younger audience as Baby Boomers age out of the category. “They are replaced by Millennials, of which there are more Hispanics and African Americans in the demographic, than there are in the Baby Boomer demographic,” says Patkar. “In addition to different product preferences—Hispanics and African Americans are more likely to use pads than tampons—this new set of consumers expects retailers and brands to talk to her in a way she can relate to and be where she is in the digital space.”

Overcoming obstacles

Patkar adds that other challenges affecting the category include lower birth rates in the 1990s and early 2000s, which led to a decline of females currently aging into the category. Patkar also points to increased menstrual suppression usage as posing a significant challenge to category growth. Another factor is that economic headwinds affect consumers’ shopping decisions. “Category growth needs to be driven by innovative products that consumers are willing to pay more for because they truly address unmet needs,” she says.

Susie Hewson, international sales and marketing director of Natracare, based in Greeley, Colo., agrees that economic issues are affecting the feminine care category in the U.S. “It seems that in a growing economy, birth rates increase and people become more mobile but in the U.S. the population growth rate is less than 1%,” she says. “This population transformation will only be altered if the U.S. economy can grow over the coming years. Certain regional economies within the U.S. are growing at faster rates than others with more domestic migration.”

Still, says Hewson, consumer demand for sustainable and organically produced products is showing double-digit growth. “Consumers choose organic and sustainable products out of concern for personal health, the environment and animal welfare; and show a willingness to pay the price premium established in the marketplace,” she says. She adds that Millennials are especially interested in green products, as part of their identity of going against the old guard. Young women are seeking information from social media and from campaigning organizations’ websites, such as Naturally Savvy and The Women’s Voices for the Earth.

That bodes well for Natracare. The company manufactures products from sustainable and organic materials and uses green energy sources. New products include three pad sizes in the Ultra Extra line, Normal, Super and Long. Also, the company responded to customer demand and launched two panty liners, Normal and Long. “They are individually wrapped so they can be popped into a purse for young women on the go,” says Hewson, who is also Natracare’s founder. The company recently completed a packaging design upgrade as well.

Other new products include Natracare Intimate wipes and Baby wipes, which are made from 100% Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton and Natracare Dry & Light pads for women with stress incontinence. “They have been in our range for many years, and are being brought into stores to make an organic and natural option available to meet the ever increasing demand for incontinence products,” she says.

Retailers that embrace sustainable, organic and natural in the feminine care category will succeed, says Hewson, and grab the sales from those that are not offering this segment. “Choose accredited, sustainable and organic products and show your customers you are on their wave length too,” she adds.

By the numbers

Overall, the feminine care category has seen dips in volume lately. According to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm, multi-outlet sales of sanitary napkins and liners totaled more than $1.6 billion for the 52 weeks ended November 30. That was an increase of 1.4% in dollars compared to the previous year, while units were down 0.6% to just more than 403.9 million. Tampon sales totaled more than $1.0 billion, up about 0.7%, while units were down 1.2% to 185 million. Sales of other feminine hygiene needs and treatments totaled more than $242.5 million, up 3.5%. Unit sales were more than 69.2 million, up about 2.4%.

One area that performed relatively well was private label. According to IRI, private label sanitary napkins and liners sales accounted for more than 17% of the dollar share, an increase of more than 1% compared to last year. Private label napkins and liners sales increased more than 8% in dollars, accounting for about $292.7 million. The unit price for private label sanitary liners and napkins averaged $3.14, compared to $4.09 overall for these items.

Private label tampon sales did not fare as well, with flat dollar sales (down 0.8%) to $109.9 million, while the market share remained the same, at 10.5%. Unit sales totaled more than 28.6 million, down about 1.7%. Private label tampons cost $3.83 per unit, while overall the price was $5.64. Other private label needs totaled $34.1 million, up 1.5%.