Padding Profits
Tips to help supermarkets succeed in building feminine care sales. By David Litwak
How do you grow sales within a category when that category isn't necessarily growing? This is the question that supermarkets face when it comes to increasing sales in the feminine hygiene category, which has been posting status quo sales in recent years, at least for the core segments within feminine hygiene.
“The feminine care category is relatively flat,” says Greg Fries, senior brand manager, adult and feminine care for Dallas-based Kimberly-Clark Corp. “The population of menstruating women has been relatively flat. Growing the category is a challenge … [although] that's not to say that there isn't an opportunity to do that.”
If the core category isn't growing in general, Fries believes growth through supermarkets can come from either one or both of two ways: taking sales from another retail channel, or broadening the category by jumping on sales of innovative products beyond the traditional core offerings.
While supermarket sales of the category's core sanitary napkins/ pads/liners and tampons currently lag behind both mass merchants and drug chains, both of which generally have much larger feminine hygiene sections than supermarkets and further offer more selection in a wider range of products, mass retailers have been increasing sales at the fastest pace across the board.
Observers say that a larger assortment of products is needed in this category because of the proliferation of new sanitary products and line extensions that have come into the section over the past several years. Women now have much more of a choice of sanitary and tampon products in a variety of shapes, sizes, designs and thicknesses. “Tampons certainly drive dollars to the category, as do pads,” says Fries. “Tampons are the growth factor, as is innovation, which is one way to drive growth and capitalize on sales.”
Core sanitary products have seen many innovations in size, thinness and shape, as well as diversification in use, but the latest innovations are in design and appearance. Targeting younger women, Kimberly-Clark's Kotex brand introduced U by Kotex, which offers users pads in a variety of designs and colors.
Expanding Boundaries
One way retailers are trying to build up sales within the category and make their sections a destination for shoppers is to expand the boundaries of what a feminine hygiene section traditionally contains. The term “feminine hygiene” itself has changed, with most industry insiders now referring to it instead as “feminine care,” which suggests a broader scope of products than merely sanitary products.
Many supermarkets and drug chains have aptly taken advantage of the change in phraseology by introducing a wide variety of other HBC items into the same aisle, such as personal lubricants, warming gels, moisturizers, yeast infection care products and personal wipes, all of which have added new dimensions and sales to the category. Interestingly, most supermarkets these days also feature condoms prominently within the feminine care section.
One example of using innovative items to expand the feminine care category is the introduction of light bladder leakage (LBL) products. By promoting these products and increasing awareness of their availability in the feminine care aisle, supermarkets can bring shoppers to the section who no longer use traditional feminine hygiene products.
“Demographics [of the local area] are important when incorporating any of these innovative products into the assortment, especially LBL products,” says Fries. “Partnerships between the manufacturer and the retailer can help drive sales by promoting these products, especially in highlighting and promoting a strong launch and continued support of innovative products to build awareness.”
For supermarkets to succeed in building feminine care sales, Fries recommends they keep several things in mind:
• Recognize the need for several SKUs in each type of item to deliver on the needs of different consumers
• Increase the space given to the category wherever possible
• Highlight and support innovation in the category to make shoppers aware of the new products in the store before they start buying them at other retail outlets
• Be selective about promotions versus simply catering to deal seekers, which takes dollars out of the market
“It gets back to assortment,” concludes Fries. “Retailers have to get behind the category in a big way to drive sales when they are competing with the larger feminine care section in the mass and drug channels.” To that end, he adds, supermarket feminine care aisles that seek destination status need proper support to do just that. PG
Kotex Gets Fashionable
U by Kotex, a Kimberly-Clark Corp. feminine care line aimed at young women, joined forces with fashion stylist Patricia Field to encourage color and design variety on pads and liners through an online design contest.
Field leapt at the chance to bring interest to “the bland feminine care category through this partnership with U by Kotex.” The Academy Award-nominated, two-time Emmy Award-winning stylist, whose fashion career spans 45 years, is best known for her TV and film work, including “Sex and the City,” “Ugly Betty” and “The Devil Wears Prada.”
To enter the Ban the Bland Design Challenge, consumers could submit a pad, accessory or inspiration board of their own design at www.BantheBland.com for the chance to work with Field on the design of a new U by Kotex product and attend a runway show during Fashion Week in New York. For everyone who submitted or liked a design online, $1 went to Cirls For A Change, a national nonprofit organization that empowers girls to create and lead social change within their communities.
The three winning submissions were the Euphoria pad by Montana, the 2011 tin by ElleF and the Joie de Vivre board by Hayley. New U by Kotex products inspired by the winners and Field will arrive in stores in 2012.
“U by Kotex is taking the next step in revolutionizing the feminine care category by introducing color and design variety on pads and liners for the first time and inviting young women to imprint on the future of feminine care,” says Melissa Sexton, integrated marketing director, adult and feminine care at Dallas-based Kimberly- Clark. “This breakthrough in design is part of our larger mission to change the thinking around feminine care and empower young women to take control of their health and bodies.”
Already known for its bold packaging and forthright advertising, U by Kotex has additionally introduced color and design variety to its pads and liners in the form of three unique designs per box; a limited- edition designer series launched this past July in B0H0, Poptimistic, Freestyle and Punk Clam styles; and a limited-edition carrying tin designed by Field and also launched in July.