Juices for PMS, patches for cramps: Period care gets padded up

Skincare, haircare, and now, there’s period care. While FMCG companies continue to rule the market, new players bring the promise of comfort and sustainability to women who can afford the extra buck

Despite FMCG dominance in sanitary products, there’s been a flurry of menstrual products focused on health and comfort

From Carmesi to Azah to Floh (and more), they’re not cheap but offer a premium alternative to regular pads

Period care has also expanded to juices for PMS and PCOS, skin patches for cramps, anti-rash creams

For now, these companies carry on with the knowledge that FMCGs work to keep products cheaper rather than sustainable or comfortable

There are 336 million menstruating women in India, and 36% use disposable sanitary napkins, according to Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India (MHAI). That’s 121 million women.

It’s no surprise then that the menstrual products market is growing. And fast.

Valued at $340 million by market research provider Euromonitor in 2017, the sanitary products market in India is predicted to grow to $522 million by next year. It is dominated by international FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) companies such as Procter & Gamble’s Whisper and Johnson & Johnson’s Stayfree, which, according to Euromonitor, have a retail market share of 50.4% and 24%, respectively.

AUTHOR

Prachi Sibal

Prachi has been a journalist for over a decade. She writes on popular culture, the arts, cinema in the South and every exciting trend that she comes across. She works independently and her writing has appeared in Open Magazine, Scroll and Huffington Post. When not writing, she spends her time blending natural perfumes and studying fragrance.

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