Retail Adult Incontinence in the Philippines

2020 IMPACT

Health and demographic trends determine category performance, although stay-at-home measures impact shopping behaviour and usage

Retail adult incontinence recorded only marginally slower retail current value growth and volume growth in 2020, compared with 2019. Moderate/heavy adult incontinence remained the key type as light adult incontinence continued to see negligible sales due to limited availability.

Higher hygiene awareness pushes usage, although high prices stimulate search for alternatives

The number of nursing homes and care homes for the elderly/seniors did not significantly increase in 2020. As such, retailing, led by supermarkets and health and beauty specialists, remained a key channel for companies selling adult incontinence products.

The economic fallout of COVID-19 helps local players gain some ground on the multinational leader

The multinational Essity continued to lead retail adult incontinence in 2020 due to the strength of its Dr P and Tena brands. Essity has invested in marketing to promote the benefits of using these brands and to raise awareness around adult incontinence and help remove the stigma associated with the condition.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Demographic, economic and health factors set to continue to drive performance

Even if consumer lifestyles are likely to remain more home-centred over the forecast period compared with the pre-pandemic period, as the COVID-19 crisis lingers in the country, this is not expected to have a substantial impact on category performance. Given the key consumer base for retail adult incontinence products, the category’s performance is expected to continue to be driven mainly by fundamentals like the ageing population trend, the health condition and needs of individuals and economic factors.

Winning over consumers using alternatives to treat light incontinence offers growth opportunities for players in the forecast period

Despite sales of light incontinence products remaining negligible in the Philippines in 2020, many consumers are likely to be in need of such items to manage their condition. This number is expected to increase in line with the growing elderly/senior population in the country in the forecast period.

COVID-19-related channel shift offers players the opportunity to override the social stigma surrounding the purchase of specialist incontinence products

Retail adult incontinence is projected to remain a growing, but relatively small category in the Philippines. Due to the stigma surrounding incontinence, many consumers are expected to continue to address an incontinence problem only when it has reached a fairly urgent stage.