The feminine mystique

As women’s needs evolve, retailers must embrace innovation to stay relevant in the feminine care category. Every woman wants to look and feel her best. This desire is the strongest sales driver across the HBC department, and more specifically, the feminine care section. When it comes to feminine care, however, looking and feeling good is just one factor at the top of a long list. Women are demanding convenience, portability, exceptional performance and more often than not, sustainable and/or environmentally friendly materials. In order to keep these shoppers smiling, retailers have to stay on top of the latest trends and demands. Offering the most innovative products on the market will keep consumers looking for the next best thing—and bring new incremental shoppers into the department. Manufacturers are fulfilling their end of the bargain with constant enhancements and additions to their product lines that strive to meet—and exceed—consumers’ demands. But despite their determination, the feminine care category is in decline, being squeezed at both ends, thanks to an aging population and low birth rates, note industry observers. In 2013, the nation as a whole grew older as the Baby Boomer generation’s eldest entered their senior years. The nation’s 65-and-older population surged to 44.7 million in 2013, up 3.6% from 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By comparison, the population younger than 65 grew by only 0.3%. “The decline in population growth and the aging population has definitely had an affect on the category; sales and volume for traditional products are stagnant,” says John Szustaczek, director of sales and marketing for Diva International. “But there is a lot of room for innovation.” When young women first interact with the feminine care category, he says, they are looking to the female influencers in their lives to direct their purchases. Such influencers may be a mother, nurse, doctor or educator; and they tend to recommend products that they are already familiar with. It is not until women get more comfortable in the category that they become more likely to experiment. “As women age in the category and approach their late teens and early 20s, they are starting to look for more and different options,” says Szustaczek. “They have been introduced to new influencers over time and they are starting to branch out. They are exploring more opportunities within the category.” The Kitchener, Ont., Canada-based manufacturer of the Diva Cup realized that in order to create real change in the category, the company must educate the influencer—not the new consumer—about its innovative product. This year the brand plans to distribute 20,000 demo kits to health care professionals and educators across the U.S. “It’s a big market but we’re trying to do more than our fair share of outreach and communication with consumers,” Szustaczek adds. In order to gain sales in the feminine care category, manufacturers are not only concerned with who their target audience is, but also how they are targeting them. As new consumers enter the category, manufacturers are doing their best to reach them on their level. For young girls this means one thing: social media. “The consumer for the feminine care category has evolved significantly over the last decade,” says Kanchan Patkar, brand director for Neenah, Wis.-based Kotex. “She is looking for products and messaging to be relevant to her lifestyle. This consumer is more digitally oriented and multicultural than ever before, which impacts how she shops and which products she is inclined to purchase.” In addition to promoting brands and products through print and television advertising, feminine care manufacturers are looking to reach consumers through their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and Tumblr accounts, and they are inviting retailers to join in their efforts. “The Millennial consumer has grown up as a digital native, so it is critical to be where she is in this space,” says Patkar. “The U by Kotex brand is driving deep engagement with this consumer across many social media platforms, including emerging ones like Instagram. Just in the past month we increased our Instagram following by over 50% through content and messages relevant to Millennial interests.” The Kotex brand, which is made by Dallas-based Kimberly-Clark, recently introduced an improvement to its Ultra Thin pad products that targets the core consumer in need of protection. The new 3D Capture Core has been designed to lock away wetness and help stop leaks, says Patkar. The launch has been supported by a fully-integrated commercial program that invites consumers to learn more about the products and join the U by Kotex brand in the effort to “Save the Undie,” its newest social media campaign. Searching for the greener solution Following closely behind functionality, “better-for-you” is a major driving force in retail currently. Feminine care is no exception. Manufacturers are revamping product offerings and packaging to tout both healthfulness and sustainability in hopes of winning consumers’ dollars. Natracare, the Greeley, Colo.-based manufacturer of organic feminine and personal care items has long prided itself on its better-for-the-consumer and better-for-the-planet stance. “The trend towards better-for-you has only strengthened in the past several years and the natural and organic sector is growing rapidly,” says Theresa White, Natracare’s senior executive officer. “Retailers need to be aware that this is what their customers want and demand, and it’s their responsibility to provide a good selection.” For example, while overall tampon sales topped $1 billion for the 52 weeks ended July 13, units were down 1.8% to 184.5 million. Natracare’s tampon business is quite a different story. The organic manufacturer saw dollars increase 4.8%, and a 3.7% jump in units. “The grocery chains are just now fully realizing that there is money to be had here. Their customers want natural and organic products in the aisles, and the feminine hygiene selection is no different,” adds White. Along those lines, the Diva Cup is a reusable menstrual cup made from healthcare grade silicone. Offering 12-hour leak-free protection, the manufacturer recommends that a consumer purchase a new Diva Cup once a year to ensure continued performance and protection. “When purchasing traditional products like tampons, pads and sanitary liners, a single consumer will most likely make those purchases from a variety of retailers over the course of the year,” says Szustaczek. “The Diva Cup, which will last a consumer an entire year, enables a single retailer to capture consumers’ feminine hygiene dollars for 12 straight months. “Retailers have said that they’re lucky if they capture 21% to 25% of consumer’s traditional feminine hygiene dollars each year. But with the Diva Cup they’re making four times as much on each consumer,” he adds.