HEALTH: FEMININE CARE
Focus on Natural and Innovative New products reflect women’s desire for more options, less synthetics By Nora Caley
Even the feminine care aisle was affected by the pandemic. In the early days of COVID-19, women stocked up on tampons, pads and other sanitary protection products to avoid possible product shortages later. Then, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed in March 2020, included a provision that enabled women who had Flexible Spending Accounts or Health Savings Accounts to become eligible for reimbursement for feminine hygiene products. Today, the feminine care category is one that consumers must shop routinely. It’s also one in which women expect much innovation. According to a September 2020 Mintel report, Feminine Hygiene and Sanitary Protection Products: Incl. Impact of COVID-19 US, many of the benefits that were once considered nice to have are now expected. “Environmentally friendly packaging/ ingredients, use of natural/organic materials and
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“The consumer is more and more savvy about what they are putting in the most sensitive part of their body.” — Helen Robinson, co-founder, Organic Initiative
ingredient transparency have become quality expectations,” the report noted. Eco-friendly practices are an expectation for nearly half of consumers, and comfort is also essential. The research firm estimated that U.S. retail sales of feminine hygiene and sanitary protection products increased by 3.5% in 2020, outpacing year-over-year category growth since 2015. Growth should continue over the next two to five years, driven by changing demographics and by manufacturers’ ability to innovate in the space. As the vaginal wellness category becomes more recognized by the industry, there will be opportunities for manufacturers and retailers to tailor products to women’s health milestones.
Staying Away From Synthetics The preference for eco-friendly materials does not surprise Helen Robinson, co-founder of Organic
February 2022 DRUGSTORENEWS.COM
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