1.The Current Situation of Sanitary Napkin Market
Human healthy is the most focused topic in the world now, and the women sanitary napkin is a very important branch of the healthy system. Since 1980 the sanitary napkin has been accepted by most Chinese women because of its convenient and clean characteristics. According to relevant data, in 1985, there are 278 million female sanitary napkins consumers at the age of 15~49 in China, but the total consumption quantity is only 1 billion pads. The market penetration rate is only 2%. And according to the 《Chinese Tissue Paper Yearbook》, in 2002, there are total 355 million female sanitary consumers at the age of 15~49 in China, but the total consumption quantity of the sanitary napkins are only 351 million pads. The marketing penetrating rate is only 54.9%.
According to the statistics of related departments, in 2003 the consumption quantity of sanitary napkins in China are about 40 billion pads, the women panty liner are about 8 billion pieces, the baby diaper are about 1.1 billion pieces and the adult diaper and nursing mat are 500 billion pieces. The annual per capita consumption increased from 0.59 kilograms in 1990 to 2.5 kilograms in 2003. But it still has a big gap when comparing with the developed country level. It is about one fourteenth of North Amercia, one seventh of western Europe and 50% of the world average level. But with the increase of Chinese integral economic and the improvement of consumption level. The women sanitary napkins consuming level should be promoted to a new level. This is a great potential market for women sanitary napkins producer.
2.The Developing Trend of Women Sanitary Napkin
According to the statics, we have more than 1000 women sanitary napkins enterprises. Among them there are 800 sanitary napkin production lines, more than 1000 wings sanitary napkin production lines and nearly 300 lines of panty liners production line. The sanitary napkin annual production capacity is about 80 billions pieces and the panty liner is 15 billion pieces.
The product grade has developed from inferior bar sanitary napkins into various, multi-types medium and advanced grade. Make a comprehensive survey on the current China market, there are many domestic and abroad brands. Each brand wants a piece of the market. Thus market competition is intense. It can be predicted that Chinese sanitary napkin market may be through the following changes:
a.Rapid Growth
In 2005, the women sanitary napkin total output has achieved to 434.3 million liters and with a year-on-year growth rate 25.4%. The profit reaches to 1256 million Chinese Yuan and with a year-on-year growth rate 58.8%.
b.Market Shuffle
The insider said, the current domestic sanitary napkin market has begun to shuffle. But it is in a slow speed. The main reason is China has too many markets. Till now there are nearly 500 million consumers or potential consumers, which can support more than 1000 enterprises. At the same time the expert has pointed out that, although the current sanitary napkins market has begun to shuffle, but it is not very intensified. The market will become intensified at least after 3~5 years.
c.High market centralization
With the gradua mature of the whole sanitary napkins industry, Chinese women have increased their consumption ideal and the consuming ability. The governmental relative functional department has strengthened supervision and the inferior products will be rejected by the consuming groups and eliminated from the market, while some little brand products will gradually exit from the market.
d.High advanced market becomes mature
The sanitary napkins industry centralization has improved. The consuming groups transit to medium and high class. The consuming area is continuously expanded. The high class market has been relatively mature.“We don’t care how much we spend, but we care more about our health”.
Today the price is not the main factor that affects women’ s purchase. Women care more about the products quality. With the social concept upgrading, the consumers’ self-protection and healthy concept are increasingly stronger. The sanitary napkin industry will step by step transform the traditional advertising marketing to a new marketing mode that the healthy concept guiding consumption.
e.Sunrise Industry
Healthy Industry is the global sunrise industry. According to the data, in the past 20 years, the healthy products sale amount in American has increased 36 times and 32 times in Japan. While in Europe it increases at an annual rate of 17% and in China the digital reached to a rate of 15%~30%, which is much higher than the average level of the developed countries of 13%. But till now Chinese healthy consumption is only 31 Yuan per capita, only one twelfth of Japan and one seventeenth of USA. Do you see there are great potential market waiting for your exploiting?
