Global Feminine Hygiene
Cotton delivers quality and comfort.
U.K.
69%
ITALY
86%
GERMANY
82%
FRANCE
77%
Brand
LOYALT Y
8 IN 10 WOMEN say they generally stay with the same brands of feminine
hygiene products.
The top 3 tampon brands account for
4 in 5 purchases made by women in the
following countries.
The top 3 pad brands account for 4 in 5
purchases in the US, Europe, and Mexico
and the majority in China.
The top 3 brands of pantiliners ac-
count for half or more of the purchas-
es made by women in the following
countries.
Regardless of demographics or market
studied, feminine hygiene products must
prevent leaks, be absorbent, keep skin
dry, and be functional (such as sticking
to underwear, not being visible, not
being bulky, etc.) AND be comfortable,
soft, and hypoallergenic in order to be
considered by women globally.
Purified cotton is highly absorbent:
24 grams water/gram of fiber
Cotton is naturally hypoallergenic
Cotton is strong: Wet strength is 3.7
times stronger than pulp
Brand Loyalty is very strong across markets, but opportunities
exist for new concepts in product development, channels of
distribution and target marketing.
MEXICO
89%
U.S.
84%
U.K.
80%
ITALY
86%
U.S.
84%
GERMANY
79%
U.K.
85%
MEXICO
85%
FRANCE
80%
FRANCE
67%
CHINA
58%
ITALY
90%
MEXICO
78%
GERMANY
80%
CHINA
50%
U.S.
77%
Performance
IS IMPORTANT
Social
Combo
PRODUCTS
Nearly half of tampon users in these countries say they always or usually use a pantiliner
when using a tampon.
About a third of tampon users always or usually use a pad when using a tampon.
About 1 in 5 women say they follow feminine hy-
giene brands on social media sites.
In the US, women mainly follow these social media
sites for coupons and promotions.
Opportunities exist to take advantage of this trend by creating mixed product boxes or
offering promotions around buying two different types of feminine hygiene products at
the same time. Tampon brands without complementary pad/liner products may want to
consider line extensions.
Reaching out to consumers about your brand, new product launches, etc. through social
media is essential in retailing today across categories. There is a major untapped opportu-
nity for feminine hygiene brands to utilize social media to develop a stronger relationship
with their customers beyond point of sale and entice new customers to try their products.
Social Media Marketing is greatly underutilized
as a customer engagement tool.
A sizeable share of tampon users
are combining products – offering
opportunities for mixed product
packages, new promotions,
and/or consumer education.
51%
ITALY
37%
49%
GERMANY
31%
47%
U.S.
31%
44%
FRANCE
35%
39%
MEXICO
33%
36%
U.K.
37%
EUROPE
U.S.
MEXICO
Pad
Tampon
Pad
Tampon
Pad
Tampon
Pad
Tampon
Pad
Tampon
Pad
Tampon
Liner
Tampon
Liner
Tampon
Liner
Tampon
Liner
Tampon
Liner
Tampon
Liner
Tampon
Young
CONSUMERS
Women see cotton as better suited than manmade fibers in meeting
their primary feminine hygiene needs of performance and comfort.
Most women are willing to switch brands and/or pay a slightly higher
price to purchase cotton feminine hygiene products.
The majority of women say they are willing to switch brands to purchase
cotton feminine hygiene products if they knew those products were
more comfortable, hypoallergenic, and sustainable.
The majority of women say they prefer their feminine
hygiene products to be made from cotton.
3 in 4 European girls ages 10-17 say they are very interested in
feminine hygiene products that are made from natural or sustain-
able materials, significantly higher than the overall market.
More sustainable offerings,
product subscriptions, and en-
gagement through social media
will be essential to appeal to to-
morrow’s feminine hygiene
shoppers.
75
%
A third of European girls ages 10-17 say they follow feminine hy-
giene brands on social media, again higher than the overall
market. Using social media as a tool to educate, entertain, and
build a relationship with young women is essential for any estab-
lished brand or new entrants.
34
%
Half of European girls ages 10-17 say they would be interested in
a subscription service that delivers feminine hygiene products to
their door once per month, a Millennial characteristic.
51
%
Cotton
DIFFERENCE
THE
83
%
MEXICO
62
%
U.S.
58
%
EUROPE
75
%
CHINA
Cotton Incorporated's 2015 Chinese Feminine Hygiene Study - surveyed 500 feminine hygiene product users ages 18-45 across 16 citities covering all four major
tiers and regions in China. Respondents were representative of the Chinese population.
Cotton Incorporated's 2015 U.S. Feminine Hygiene Study - surveyed 1,000 feminine hygiene product users ages 18-50. Respondents were representative of the U.S.
population.
Cotton Incorporated's 2015 European & mexican Feminine Hygiene Study - surveyed 500 feminine hygiene product users ages 10-50 in the UK, Germany, France,
Italy, and Mexico. Respondents were representative of their respective populations.