KEY INSIGHTS
• Educateshoppersonthehealthandcomfortbenetsofbabycare
productstoencouragehigherconsumption.
• Markettorst-timetamponusersthroughinformativepromotions.
• Increasecottonofferingsinhygieneproductstomeettheneedsof
femaleconsumers–themajorityarewillingtopaymoreforcotton.
% USING BABY WIPES AT HOME TO CLEAN....
bowel movements
child’s hands
after urination
child’s face
toys, surfaces, etc.
% USING DISPOSABLE DIAPERS...
77% nighttime
at home
72% when
sleeeping
57% outside
the home
52% daytime
at home
79%
51%
39%
32%
28%
GETTING A FULL NIGHT’S SLEEP
In a market where
kaidangku,
open-crotch pants, were once
the norm, disposable diaper usage is increasing in urban
Chinese cities and middle class homes. More than 7 in 10
moms say they use diapers on their children at night, and
about half do so during the day. Focus group research cited
convenience and better sleep quality as top reasons moms use
diapers; while cost and health concerns, especially among
third generation caregivers, remain barriers to diaper usage.
Another common complaint among moms was that diaper
options are limited. In fact, almost 9 in 10 moms (87%)
say they use the same type of diaper during the day as at
night. Consequently, offering a nighttime diaper alternative
that absorbs more liquid could yield strong brand loyalty for
those able to appeal to moms’ desires for convenience and a
full night’s rest for them and their children.
INCREASING BABY WIPE USAGE
Baby wipe and diaper usage do not go hand in hand in
China, indicating baby wipe brands have an opportunity
to increase consumption through targeted marketing and
consumer education. While the majority of moms use wipes
to clean after bowel movements, less than half use them after
urination. Instead, focus group research reveals moms tend
to wash children with a wet cloth or change diapers less
frequently to reduce cleanups. Nevertheless, avoiding skin
irritation is the number one purchase driver for baby diapers
and wipes. Brands should consider marketing the skin-
related and hygiene benefits of using wipes after urination.
This approach could help increase baby wipe consumption
and sales for brands willing to educate their customers.
China is one of the world’s largest consumer hygiene
markets. It accounts for more than one-tenth of the world’s
infant/toddler population and nearly one-fifth of the world’s
potential feminine hygiene population. With economic
growth and disposable income projected to nearly double in
the next ten years
1
, hygiene product consumption is poised
to increase as consumers have more to spend on personal
care. Pad and pantiliner sales in China are projected to total
about 140 billion units and diaper sales 29 billion units in
2016
2
– double the sales volume of five years earlier.
Cotton Incorporated’s Chinese Hygiene Product Study
reveals that brand loyalty is extremely strong in these
growing markets, with the top three most purchased brands
accounting for the majority of consumers’ diaper (68%),
feminine hygiene (58%), and baby wipe (57%) purchases.
Although brand loyalty is strong, research reveals a number of
market opportunities for established brands and new entrants
to differentiate their offerings and increase consumption in
the Chinese baby care and feminine hygiene markets.
INSIGHTS
COTTON INCORPORATED
SUPPLY CHAIN
CHINA’S BABY CARE & FEMININE HYGIENE MARKETS
About the ResearchCottonIncorporated’s2015ChineseHygieneProductStudywasbasedonqualitativefocusgroupsconductedamongfeminine
hygieneandbabycareproductusersinShanghai,Shenzhen,andChengdu,andaquantitativestudyof1,000femininehygieneandbabycareproduct
usersconductedin16citiescoveringallfourcitytiersandregions.Othersources:EuromonitorInternational
1
,INDA
2
38%
31%
23%
20%
19%
14%
11%
don’t know how to use them
never heard of them
bad for health
strange
uncomfortable
no one uses
fall out
switch brands
& pay the same
price
buy the same
brand & pay a
higher price
switch brands
& pay a
higher price
DIAPERS BABY WIPES
FEMININE
HYGIENE
69% 72%70%
68%
78% 57%
58%52% 52%
% willing to do
the following
for cotton baby
care & feminine
hygiene products
PROMPTING TAMPON USAGE
Pads are the most commonly used feminine hygiene product
in China and are used during each phase of menstruation;
however, only about 2% of women use tampons. The
majority say they do not use tampons due to inexperience
with the product. These are more frequent responses in lower
tier cities where tampon availability is extremely limited.
Although tampon usage is rare in Asia, the Japanese tampon
market is relatively strong due to several successful brand
marketing campaigns to educate the Japanese consumer and
spur tampon consumption
2
. Because more than 1 in 4 non-
tampon users (27%) say they would be likely to try tampons
if they were educated on how to use them, pairing tampon
marketing with an educational campaign may be as effective
among Chinese consumers as it was in other developing
markets. Likelihood to try tampons if educated also rises
among those who say they do not use tampons because they
have never heard of them or they do not know how to use
them (33%).
MEETING CUSTOMER NEEDS
Cotton hygiene offerings remain limited in China despite
consumer preference for cotton. About 7 in 10 women prefer
their baby care and feminine hygiene products be made from
cotton. When asked to compare cotton hygiene products to
non-cotton options, the majority said cotton would perform
better in terms of the factors most important to purchases.
Regarding baby care products, about 3 in 4 moms said cotton
diapers and wipes would perform better than non-cotton
options in terms of preventing irritation, absorbency, and
being natural. In addition, more than 8 in 10 women said
cotton feminine hygiene products would perform better than
non-cotton options in terms of preventing irritation, being
soft and comfortable, absorbency, and being natural.
In fact, the majority of women say they would pay more
and switch brands in order to purchase cotton diapers, wipes,
and feminine hygiene products. Desire for cotton may trump
brand loyalty and price consciousness because Chinese
woman feel cotton products are better suited to meet their
primary needs. Cotton offers established brands and new
entrants the opportunity to differentiate their products in this
highly competitive market while meeting their customers’
primary needs, consumer fiber preferences, and corporate
sustainability initiatives.
BARRIERS PREVENTING TAMPON USAGE
I feel strange when
something’s inside, and
it’s not very hygienic
when changing.
LIKELIHOOD TO BUY COTTON PRODUCTS
I don’t use them
because I don’t
know how.
I have tried to use a
tampon, but it was
really difficult to put
it in.
