Feminine hygiene market projected to reach Dhs2.28 billion by 2026

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

Coupled with increasing internet penetration, the heightened awareness is shaping a feminine hygiene market, which is now expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% to Dhs2.28 billion by 2026

 Today, there is a special place for GCC countries in the global technology-absorption discourse. Nations have digital economy strategies in place, aimed at leveraging best-in-class technologies across sectors to address existing challenges and unlock greater efficiencies. Be it PropTech, FinTech or EdTech, the bottom line is that technology is permeating every sector. The observable impact on sectors such as finance and real estate aside, technology has also addressed some of the silent challenges plaguing humankind. Although less perceptible, the impact has been profound. Enter FemTech.  

A portmanteau of female and technology, FemTech is an umbrella term for digital solutions pertaining to  feminine hygiene, reproductive health and  wellness. In recent years, with females making great strides in education, careers, and public governance in the region and attaining significant spending power, previously tabooed subjects such as feminine hygiene emerging at the forefront.

At the kernel of this burgeoning market is FemTech, whose role will be consequential in breaking the taboos and bringing greater access to hygiene products. Fortunately, homegrown FemTech innovators, who are well-acquainted with the contours of the feminine hygiene market and aware of region-specific challenges, are breaking new ground with ultra-efficient products and taboo-defying delivery options.  

 “We entered the market with a cure-all solution to real-world challenges in feminine hygiene. Though females across the region are increasingly getting vocal about the taboos surrounding hygiene products, we wanted to catalyse the transformation by providing easy and secure access. So, we supplemented our revolutionary products with an e-commerce-led subscription model. Now ultra-hygiene products will arrive at your doorstep, saving you the discomfort or the hassle of asking/buying at the mall or stores,” said Dr Elias Abboud, Founder of PECTIV.

A Dubai-based company specializing in nanotechnology-based sanitary pads, PECTIV envisions a GCC where feminine hygiene do not make females feel helpless. PECTIV’s core strengths are the nanotechnology-based sanitary products, including pads, liners and wipes, which prevent bacterial growth, rashes, irritation, bad odour, and side leakages. Such issues are common in conventional sanitary pads, which, according to the WHO, are responsible for vaginal infections in up to 70% of females. Even with good hygiene, conventional sanitary pads can cause infections in 30% of females.  

As solutions, PECTIV pads carry an anion layer and are free of harmful chemicals such as phthalates and plastics, preventing recurrent infections, rashes and irritations while boasting superior 4X absorption and protection against leakages. PECTIV’s FDA-registered products — including wash and wipes formulated using probiotics with scientifically-demonstrated health effects — were awarded the “Most Innovative” in 2021, validating its claim as a game-changing feminine hygiene brand.

 Among the biggest problems impacting the uptake of feminine hygiene products in the region are the taboos and hesitancy associated with buying them at the stores, in the presence of other people, especially men. These find answers in e-commerce marketplaces that deliver hygiene products to the doorstep. Going a step further, PECTIV has introduced a first-of-its-kind subscription model, delivering its revolutionary sanitary products to customers’ doorstep in concealed packages. This has enabled the company to sidestep the taboos associated with in-store purchases. As a testament to the utility of this service, the company’s 82% of demand is led by subscribers in the UAE and the KSA alone — nations with exemplary digitalization standards and a strong consumer appetite for innovative solutions.

“PECTIV is here to solve the problems that plague about 70% of females every month. We want PECTIV to be the answer to struggles that are often endured in silence. Some of the problems are more pronounced in the GCC region due to the arid climate and the accompanying high perspiration levels. So, we are also bearing in mind the region-specific needs in our product development and service delivery. With the expansion and scaling on the cards, PECTIV products will be deliverable to every doorstep in the region soon,” added Dr Elias.  

Regional FemTech innovator PECTIV’s growth trajectory is a credible indicator of the industry’s potential. The company has sold 100,000 packs in under two years of operations and posted a 200% year-over-year growth rate in H1, 2022, with repeat customers constituting 80% of total sales. Such an outstanding customer-retention possibility bodes well for FemTech’s prospects within the GCC’s feminine hygiene market which reportedly has 14 million monthly users. This is also to say that GCC is a relatively untapped market for feminine hygiene products. Greater awareness and accessibility to doorstep delivery could help organize the market.