Tissue and Hygiene in Panama

Demand for tissue and hygiene in Panama remains stable and mature, although significant differences are seen in demand according to income level and socioeconomic status. Economic stability and rising income levels are widening the consumer audience in many categories, while consumers generally are increasingly interested in high-quality, value-added items.

Market Insight: COVID-19 Impact

COVID-19 is expected to have had only a limited influence on retail sales of tissue and hygiene products in 2019. In fact, no categories experienced any major slowdown in retail sales as a result of COVID-19, with growth projections remaining largely unchanged over the course of 2020.

Country Insight: COVID-19 Impact

As of 12 May 2020, Panama had seen 249 deaths due to COVID-19 and 8,616 cases. The first officially diagnosed case in Panama was on 9 March, with schools closed from the following day.

Country Insight: Pre-COVID-19

Reproductive health and sex education are important topics in the country but with strong opposing opinions. Many are concerned by the high number of unwanted pregnancies, particularly among teenage girls, and believe that reproductive health education could reduce this problem – access to such information remains limited.

Socioeconomic Trends

The average price in most tissue and hygiene categories remained stable towards the end of the review period. Many of the highest volume tissue and hygiene categories are seen as essential products and this has been underlined by the recent launch of a wider range of economy-priced products, including private label items, as industry players have sought to tap into latent demand among Panama’s significant low-income population.

Logistics/Infrastructure

The celebration of World Youth Day in Panama during January 2019 saw a campaign that aims to further consolidate the use of portable latrines in the country. Portable latrines are already common in Panama and they are used mainly at fairs, fetes and carnivals.

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