Wipes in Thailand

PRE-COVID-19 PERFORMANCE

Baby wipes dominate sales in 2019, but general purpose wipes continue to gain momentum due to antibacterial qualities and growing focus on hygiene

Demand for wipes continued to be driven by baby wipes in Thailand in 2019. Apart from caring for babies, this product is perceived by many consumers as a general multi-purpose wipe that is offered at a more affordable price than specific products such as cosmetic or facial cleansing wipes.

Environmental concerns and the use of chemicals need to be addressed by players

Some consumers continue to have concerns about the suitability of wipes which influence their general purchasing decisions; one is the disposable nature of wipes which causes concern over their impact on the environment, particularly when some consumers have the habit of flushing wipes down the toilet. Another is safety concerns over the use of harsh chemicals, alcohol, or fragrances, even though there is greater demand for general purpose wipes for increased hygiene purposes.

Leader Mamy Poko benefits from cross-category brand recognition amongst local consumers

Competition continued to intensify amongst the leading wipes brands in 2019, led convincingly by Mamy Poko by Unicharm due to its strong focus on baby wipes. The brand benefits from its nappies/diapers/pants line, therefore enjoying cross-category awareness amongst consumers.

2020 AND BEYOND

COVID-19 impact

Value sales of wipes are now expected to grow by just 4% at constant 2019 prices in 2020 overall in light of the impact of COVID-19. This compares to a 9% value rise forecast at constant 2019 prices in our 2020 edition of tissue and hygiene published in February 2020 (pre-COVID-19).

Affected products within wipes

Following advice from the government regarding the need for consumers to regularly use soap and water or hand sanitiser in more focused hygiene routines after the outbreak of COVID-19, volume growth of both baby wipes and general purpose wipes is set to slow compared to 2019. However, general purpose wipes, with greater antibacterial properties, will continue to outperform baby wipes as some consumers will still turn to these products as a substitute for, or alternative to regular hand washing or use of hand sanitisers, driven by the preventative health trend.

Recovery and opportunities

Wipes is predicted to record ongoing strong volume growth over the forecast period, although this will be marginally slower compared to the review period, which may be due to an increasing focus on environmental concerns over disposability issues. Baby wipes will see much slower demand in line with declining birth rates and an increasing focus on products that offer more stringent protection against germs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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