Western Europe

In 2023, retail value sales of menstrual care recorded moderate growth in the Netherlands. More initiatives to compensate for menstrual poverty were seen in 2023 especially in some cities, where such activities have been in place for some time at the…

Demand for menstrual care in Switzerland continues to normalise in the post-pandemic era. Retail volume and value sales posted solid growth in 2023, with the latter fuelled in part by inflation and higher costs of raw materials and production. Since…

Retail sales of sanitary protection achieved modest growth in value sales in 2023. 2023 was characterised by inflationary pressures from rising input costs, such as energy, material sourcing, distribution and labour. While inflation began to moderate…

In 2022, the Spanish government took a step to address menstrual poverty by announcing a general tax reduction from 10% to 4% on all menstrual care products, which came into effect in 2023. However, despite these efforts, the category faced…

In 2023, menstrual care in Portugal recorded positive retail value sales, aided by rising prices, while retail volume remained positive. The return to work and outdoor activities following COVID-19 benefited demand, with consumers needing to replace…

In 2023, menstrual care in Norway witnessed a notable increase in retail prices. This surge can be attributed to rising input costs for manufacturers and retailers, including expenses related to material sourcing, rental overheads, and salary…

The rise of pharmacies as “information hubs” in 2023 is connected to the performance of menstrual care in Italy. Indeed, pharmacies are increasingly becoming hubs for female consumers, around different topics, and including sensitive subjects. For…

Menstrual care in Ireland registered solid volume growth in 2023. Together with the necessity status of these products, the continued expansion of the female population aged 12-54 ensured overall demand remained stable. There has been fairly…

In 2023, the menstrual care landscape in Greece was impacted by rising production costs and supply chain pressures, which urged companies to increase retail prices. This led to overall positive, double-digit retail value growth. To continue…

In 2023, value sales of menstrual care in Germany continued to grow, following a dynamic performance in 2022. Increased costs of raw materials and production added to the continued inflation felt throughout the year. Health and hygiene awareness has…

Menstrual care in France saw volume declines and strong current value rises in 2023. Inflationary pressures left many local consumers struggling to make ends meet - an especially sharp problem for women who needed to buy menstrual care products.…

Amidst external fluctuations, the landscape of menstrual care products in Finland exhibited resilience in 2023, with volume sales maintaining relative stability, underscoring the essential nature of these products. While a decline in towel sales…

Menstrual care in Denmark was affected by high inflation. While the rate of inflation in 2023 was lower than in 2022 it was still relatively high for Denmark at the end of the review period. Higher input costs, such as material sourcing, labour,…

Menstrual care in Belgium faces challenges amidst high inflation, resulting in a minor decrease in volume sales in 2023. The ageing population contributes to reduced demand for menstrual care products. Furthermore, the exploration of alternative…

Menstrual care in Austria saw only modest growth in current value terms in 2023. Moreover, this increase was entirely attributable to inflationary pressures, as rising raw material and supply chain costs led to an increase in unit prices. The cost of…

In 2023, sales of away-from-home tissue in Turkey witnessed a positive, albeit low single-digit, volume growth. This uptick was driven by several factors, including the gradual return of individuals to traditional office settings following the…

The away-from-home channel in the UK experienced strong value growth in tissue and hygiene in 2023, with both categories growing by over 10%, albeit at marginally slower rates than the previous year. Value growth for away-from-home hygiene was partly…

Increased growth in the elderly population in 2023 continued to fuel growth of AFH tissue and hygiene value sales in the Netherlands as the elderly generally need significantly more care than younger people. This is true for both hospital care and…

Away-from-home tissue and hygiene in Switzerland registered strong growth in 2023 with demand rising in both the public and private sectors. Many individuals are back to working in an office, even if only part-time, which contributed to the growth in…

In 2023, value sales of away-from-home tissue and hygiene increased at a relatively high rate. Inflationary cost pressures remained an issue in 2023 forcing manufacturers to increase unit prices. Inflation stemmed from price inflation, spiking input…