Adult Diaper Market - Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2023-2028)

The global adult diaper market is projected to register a CAGR of 8.92% over the next five years.

Key Highlights

• The growing awareness of cleanliness among consumers has positively impacted the market for adult diapers. Because of increased awareness and simple product availability, the industry is also snowballing in developing nations.
• Advancements in technology have resulted in a significant rise in the geriatric population's adoption of disposable adult diapers. These diapers offer an innovative way to effectively manage the problem of incontinence as they are made using a gel-like polymer bead core that increases their absorbency capacity, which in turn provides better comfort and protection to consumers. Thus, increased demand for disposable diapers owing to their enhanced retention and fluid absorption capabilities is projected to boost market growth over the forecast period.
• Factors such as lack of awareness and social stigmas associated with incontinence, particularly in underdeveloped countries, impede the market growth. However, in collaboration with major adult diaper manufacturers, governments are undertaking initiatives to eliminate such social stigmas, which are estimated to provide significant growth opportunities for the market in underdeveloped regions.
• The COVID-19 pandemic increased consumers' awareness of using disposable hygiene products, including adult diapers, as a precautionary measure. This is driven by COVID-19 fears and emergency mandates to reduce and stop the spread of communicable diseases as hospitals are inaccessible and the growing demand for health and wellness products worldwide; this is a key factor that is anticipated to drive the growth of the market studied. Further, COVID-19 has also resulted in a generation of opportunities for many private players to emerge in the markets to cater to the inflated demand.

Adult Diaper Market Trends

Aging Population Across the World

• The aging population's increasing prevalence of urine incontinence, diarrhea, and dementia is expected to be a key driver of the adult diaper market's expansion. As people get older, they are more likely to require additional health care, which also means they are more likely to experience immobility and incontinence issues, which drives the demand for adult diapers worldwide. The prevalent aged populations across all parts of the world, who need intense care around them, are potential target markets for adult diapers.
• Europe, which has a healthy share of the population over 65 years, has also been one of the major consumer markets for adult diapers.​​ In 2021 according to Eurostat, more than one-fifth (20.8 %) of the European Union (EU) population was aged 65 and over. Aged people with medical conditions that cause them to experience urinary or fecal incontinence often require diapers or similar products because they cannot control their bladders or bowels.
• Some adults in diapers spend most of their time in bed, and diapers are a regular part of their lives. For others, it may be a need specifically when they attend events, travel, or otherwise know they would not regularly have access to a bathroom nearby. There is a wide range of experiences and needs covered by adult diapers for both men and women, so the types of adult diapers vary greatly.

Asia-Pacific Remains the Fastest-growing Market

• The demand for personal hygiene products and disposable diapers is increasing in many emerging markets in Asia due to rising disposable income levels. The aging populations in advanced economies and several other Asian countries will likely boost the demand for adult incontinence care products. Likewise, there has been a rising number of cases of urine incontinence in Asian countries such as China, Japan, and India.
• The adult diapers market is likely to grow in the coming years due to the increasing elderly population and the growing number of pregnancies in this region. In the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Word Bank data. Japan is expected to witness significant demand for adult diapers as more than 30% of the population will be over 65 in the country in 2021. Most new market entrants focus on expanding their business in emerging economies, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Furthermore, these diapers are used more frequently in medical institutions, especially for patients with acute diseases, because they assist in preventing leaks, maintaining body fluid levels, and providing comfort. The usage of these diapers for non-medical purposes, such as by deep-sea divers, pilots on extended flights, and staff at their manufacturing facilities, has increased noticeably. Employees in China commonly use adult diapers at their manufacturing facilities, as China is the global manufacturing hub. Therefore, it is anticipated that there will be a rise in demand for adult diapers in the Asia-Pacific region due to the uses, as mentioned earlier, of adult diapers, both medical and non-medical.

Adult Diaper Market Competitor Analysis

The global adult diaper market witnesses high competition due to the presence of a considerable number of regional and global players. Unicharm Corporation, First Quality Enterprises Inc., Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Procter & Gamble, and Attends Healthcare Products Inc. are some major players offering adult diapers worldwide. An advanced distribution network gives an upper edge to the manufacturers to expand their range of products across the globe. Moreover, it is crucial for players to continuously innovate to operate and grow in the market due to the rapidly changing consumer demands and preferences. Unicharm Corporation, First Quality Enterprises Inc., Kimberly-Clark Corporation, and Attends Healthcare Products Inc. are some major players offering adult diapers worldwide.

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