China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Few takers for a different type of absorbent
Tampons occupy a small corner of the shelves of feminine hygiene products in China’s stores as sanitary pads By hold FANFEIFEIa dominant position, perhaps because of Chinese women’s lack of awareness Tampons about occupy thea small product corneror itsof the proper shelvesuse. of feminine hygiene products Tampons in are China’s relatively stores newas sanitary for Chinese pads womenhold a and dominant China’s position, tampon perhapsmarket lags because behind of that Chineseof the Unitedwomen’s States lack and of European awareness countries. about Plus,the product tampons or are its not proper readily use. available in China. Tampons are relatively new for ChineseNow, a women hygiene and product China’s maker tampon in Central market China’s lags Henan behind provincethat of hasthe Unitedvowed to States change and all that. European countries. Fu Plus, Wanqun, tampons general are managernot readily of available XinXiang in ChangshengChina. Hygiene Products Now, Co, a has hygiene introduced product tampons,maker in Centralcalled Danbishuang, China’sHenan to provincethe Chinesehas vowed market. to Fu changesays theall that. company’s target Fu customers Wanqun, are general urban manager white-collarof XinXiangfemale workers, Changshengwho are well Hygiene educated, Productsand womenCo, has who introducedhave lived abroadtampons, for a certain called period Danbishuang,and returnedto the to ChineseChina. market. Fu says the company’s “Still, targetwe don’t customersexpect most are Chineseurban white-collarwomen to accept female the workers,tampon in who the are short well term. educated,To increase and tampon women sales,who we need to raise women’s awareness about the advantages of using tampons instead of sanitary pads,” Fu says.
Tampons are often sold in drugstores, for example, to treat gynecologic inflammation by using them as anticervical erosion suppository, Fu says. “The Chinese tampon market is still in the infant stage, and the requirements for tampon production are much higher than those for sanitary pads.”
XinXiang Changsheng products are now sold through e-commerce platform Taobao.com, an Alibaba venture, and range from normal menstruation tampons to medicinal and customized ones. Their prices vary from 0.38 yuan ($0.06) to 1.8 yuan each. “Tampons have some advantage over sanitary pads. For instance, they are easier to carry and give greater physical freedom to women during their menstrual period,” Fu says.
The United States-based Johnson & Johnson’s O.B. tampons have been available in China’s supermarkets or personal care and beauty chain stores since 1993. But other foreign brands, such as Procter & Gamble, have given up the idea of expanding their tampon market to China, because the lack of sex education among Chinese women has made them What averse weto use couldof tampons do — is someto even are afraid that they will lose their virginity changeby using women’s tampons. conventional
Medical experts warn that improper use of tampons beliefscould lead andto death from toxic shock syndrome, but such a graduallypossibility is very makerare. them
“Foreign brands have 70 to 80 percent see the advantages of of the market share in China, and domestic brands are in a disadvantageous using tampons.” position. Besides, the acceptance rate of tampons among Chinese FUWANQUN, women general is managervery low of … XinXiangit will take Changshengtwo to Hygienethree years Productsfor theCo tampon market in China to show signs of rapid growth.” Fu says. “What we could do 2018,is to changefrom 57.71 women’s billion conventionalyuan ($8.7 billion)beliefs andin 2013 graduallyto 84.95 make billion them yuan see in the 2018. advantagesIn 2013, of the using market tampons.” value of tampons According was to about market $190 research million; firm in contrast,Mintel, the sanitaryretail valuepad salesof femininereached $7.6 hygiene billion. products in China is expected to A increaseBosi 47 Data percent Researchby 2018, Center from 57.71 billion yuan ($8.7 billion) in 2013 to 84.95 billion yuan in 2018.