HEALTH | WOMEN’S HEALTH
Reimagining Women’s Health The key to recapturing in-store sales of women’s healthcare products is understanding the physical and emotional impact of the past year on consumers By Carol Radice
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ne of the takeaways from the ups and downs of this past year is that caring for one’s mind and body needs to be a priority. The pandemic has, in a strange way, given previously time-pressed consumers permission to practice self-love and self-care. Women have been most sensitive to this messaging, and many have taken to re-examining their current product choices while being open to the idea of adding new ones into the mix. Immune health, brain support, aging, pregnancy, stress, nutrition and vaginal health are among the areas women said they most want to focus on. Beauty from within is another emerging trend as women look for protection against stress and free radicals through such antioxidants as resveratrol, curcumin, turmeric and vitamins C and E. Given this, the number of nutritional products featuring skin health benefits is on the rise as more consumers realize diet and lifestyle combined with nutritional supplements offer them the possibility of a stronger outcome. Today’s health-savvy consumers are looking for products that can help maximize both their physical and mental health, plus offer an improved and more enjoyable experience. Companies are eagerly responding by creating products that seamlessly fit into consumer’s day-to-day routines, whether it be through innovative ingredients, packaging, delivery forms or product features. Another lesson the pandemic taught us this past year is that business as usual is no longer an option. Consumers had a year to reinvent how they purchased their healthcare essentials and their comfort in buying these items online has never been higher. That said, brick-and-mortar retailers are discovering there is still ample opportunity to grow sales in the women’s healthcare category by leveraging trends and new product innovation.
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Less is More Feminine hygiene, one of the largest components of the women’s health category, has seen a significant amount of innovation as of late. As a result, the $21.6 billion global feminine hygiene category is expected to see a CAGR of 6.7% between 2021 to 2026, according to Mordor Intelligence. Leading manufacturers in the feminine hygiene products market, including Procter & Gamble, SCA, Edgewell Personal Care and Kimberly-Clark, are expanding the depth and breadth of their product range to appeal to a wider consumer base and keep customers loyal. As more companies center their efforts around eco-friendly products, experts predict the trend toward greener feminine hygiene products will gain
further momentum in the coming years. Amy Krajewski, research and development director at Procter & Gamble, said the decision for her company to enter the organic space was made out of both opportunity and necessity. As head of R&D, Krajewski spent years studying the existing product options and, after speaking with thousands of women, identified an unmet need in the menstrual category, a natural fem-hy product that exceeded efficacy expectations. “When we set out to create Tampax Pure and Always Pure line of products, we did so with the belief that women should not have to settle when it comes to period protection just because she wanted an organic option,” Krajewski said. “It was important to us that users could feel good about the ingredients and
July 2021 DRUGSTORENEWS.COM
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