Europe Contraceptives Market - Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2023-2028)

The European contraceptives market is expected to witness a CAGR of 7.15% during the forecast period.

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the European contraceptive market due to the barriers to access to contraceptives due to disruption in the supply chain and lockdown restrictions. For instance, the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights report published in September 2021 stated that 12.5% of Spanish women quit using the hormonal contraceptive pill and discontinued the drug because getting a prescription was difficult during COVID-19 due to the disruption in the healthcare services. This has impacted the market growth leading to a decline in sales of contraceptives in Europe. However, in the current scenario, with the ease of restrictions and availability of all the healthcare services, the demand for contraceptives may grow in European countries, which is expected to drive the growth of the studied market over the forecast period.

The increasing awareness about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and rising rate of unintended pregnancies, and rise in government initiatives are the major factors driving the market growth. For instance, in November 2021, a report published by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control stated that the sex between men and women is the second most commonly reported mode of transmission in the European Union, accounting for 29.7% (4,445) of all HIV diagnoses. The highest proportions of these were observed in France, 53.0%. Thus, such instances indicate that the demand for contraceptive devices may increase. Thereby considerable market growth is anticipated over the forecast period.

Moreover, the increasing cases of unintended pregnancies leading to abortions are also increasing the demand for contraceptives. For instance, an article published by the Journal of Health Monitoring in June 2022 reported that 94,596 abortions were recorded in Germany in the year 2021. The highest number of abortions was recorded in women aged between 30-24 years. Thus, a high number of abortions due to unintended pregnancy is driving the demand for contraceptives in the regions, thereby fueling the growth of the studied market.

Furthermore, rising approvals from the European Union on oral contraceptives will also drive market growth over the forecast period. For instance, in May 2021, European Commission accepted the registration application for the novel combined oral contraceptive Estelle developed by Mithra, a company dedicated to Women’s Health. Such approvals will lead to increased adoption of oral contraceptives in Europe due to the rise in the availability of contraceptives in the market.

Thus, due to the increasing prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), the growing rate of unintended pregnancies, the increasing demand for modern contraceptive methods, and rising approvals from the European Union for the use of contraceptives, the studied market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. However, factors such as the side effects of using contraception and sociocultural issues associated with contraception are expected to hinder the market growth.

Europe Contraceptives Market Trends

Condoms are Expected to Witness Significant Growth in the Market Over the Forecast Period

Condom use has significantly increased in adolescents due to easy availability and convenience. Furthermore, effective protection from sexually transmitted infections and demand from the young population to enhance their sexual experience is expected to aid the product demand.

The rising initiatives from European countries on contraception for their residents are expected to drive the growth of this segment in Europe. For instance, in December 2022, an announcement was made by the President of France that stated young people in France would be able to get condoms free of charge from 2023 to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The France health authorities also reported that the rate of STDs increased by about 30% in 2021 in France due to government initiatives and further decreased this number by the government enabling free condoms initiatives for young people in the country.

Moreover, according to the study published in the Journal of Scientific Research, in January 2022, in the United Kingdom, CSD500, a novel condom, appears to hold significant potential for its role as a condom that could improve men's and women's sexual pleasure. Thus, the availability of such condoms may increase the use of such condoms. Such studies are expected to further drive this segment's growth. In addition, the availability of different variants under the brands with high-quality standards, cost-effectiveness, and easy access from supermarkets, drug stores, and e-commerce platforms paved the way for this verticle.

Furthermore, the increasing use cases of STDs reported in European countries is also increasing the demand for condoms and thus driving the growth of this segment. For instance, an article published by NCBI in May 2022 reported that a study conducted in France stated that syphilis prevalence and incidence were relatively high in France, especially among males who have sex with males with controlled HIV infection and pre-exposure prophylaxis users. The study also recommended that syphilis screening should be increased and behavioral risk reduction counseling among high-risk subjects should be conducted. Condoms are one of the essential requirements to lower the cases of sexually transmitted diseases, and thus, increasing cases of syphilis are driving the growth of this segment. Thus, due to increase awareness among young adults about contraceptives and rising government initiatives are driving the growth of this segment.

United Kingdom Expected to Witness Significant Growth in the Market Over the Forecast Period.

The United Kindom is expected to hold a significant share due to the rise in sexually transmitted diseases, initiatives taken by the key market players for the launch of new products, and the increasing number of unintended pregnancies. For instance, according to the Government of United Kingdom data published in November 2022, reported that 88.7 thousand HIV cases were reported in the United Kingdom in the year 2020, and this number is expected to increase to 91.4 thousand in the year 2021. The increasing HIV cases are constantly demanding for increasing use of contraceptives and thus driving the growth of the studied market.

Moreover, the increasing cases of unintended pregnancies leading to abortions are driving the growth of the studied market in the country. For instance, in December 2021, statistics published by the United Kingdom government reported 214,256 abortions were reported in England and Wales in 2021. In addition, the same source also reported that 89% of abortions were performed in women under 10 weeks in 2021 as compared to 88% in 2020. Thus, the rising number of abortions in the country is expected to increase the demand for contraceptive devices among the population, thereby propelling the market growth.

Furthermore, in July 2021, HRA Pharma Consumer Healthcare company received authorization from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the launch of the first type of contraceptive pill that will be available to buy in the United Kingdom without a prescription following a pharmacist consultation, that make it easier for some women to access and therefore use. In addition, in July 2021, United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also granted Maxwellia's Lovina, a contraceptive pill that can be sold over the counter without a prescription. These authorizations in the United Kingdom are anticipated to drive market growth in this region due to the rise in the adoption of contraceptives. Thus, due to growing STDs, unintended pregnancies leading to abortion, regulatory approvals in the country, and increasing awareness about contraceptives, the market studied are expected to witness significant growth in the United Kingdom.

Europe Contraceptives Market Competitor Analysis

The European contraceptive market is highly competitive and consists of several players. Some of the key market players in the European contraceptives market include Actavis PLC, Agile Therapeutics, ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bayer Healthcare, Fuji Latex Co., Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Ltd, HRA Pharma, Pfizer, Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd, the Female Health Company, among others.

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