A quick Google search of the term “sexual wellness” brings a deluge of information, with two of the top three posts from Walgreens and Amazon showing how prevalent this category is within the health and wellness category. It should not come as a surprise that individuals now more than ever are taking care of their sexual wellness in more ways than one. With new products popping up in local grocery store aisles from personal lubricants to nutritional supplements, Kline is seeing growth trends for sexual wellness and feminine products. For example, nutritional supplements for sexual enhancement/performance are up 6.8% from 2013 to 2014, according to Kline’s recently published Sexual Wellness: U.S. Market Analysis and Opportunities study.
Turn on the television and sexual encounters are more prevalent in mainstream media, boosting commercials and the usage of social media for all kinds of products. Condom manufacturers specifically use Facebook and Twitter to connect with younger, more accepting users, whereas erectile dysfunction (ED) commercials are highly visible on network television. Aging baby boomers who want to continue to have active sex lives as they get older fuel sales of ED drugs, nutritional supplements for sexual enhancement, and personal lubricants. The National Institutes of Health estimates that ED affects as many as 30 million men in the United States. There’s no doubt that these products are at the forefront of people’s minds because they account for 78.1% of the total sexual wellness market, according to Kline’s Sexual Wellness: U.S. Market Analysis and Opportunities report.
Sales of products that enhance sexual experiences, such as personal lubricants, increase online, in specialty stores, and even in mass market channels. Manufacturers introduce personal lubricants with added benefits, such as warming and cooling agents, to heighten intimate encounters. Technological advances allow manufacturers to introduce more sophisticated silicone/water hybrid products that provide longer lubricity. Manufacturers position products to women and couples.
Aging female consumers and women with certain health conditions (such as diabetes) who are likely to experience vaginal dryness begin to consider personal lubricants an important part of their sexual regimen. Natural ingredients and organic formulations are expected to become more popular with women using vaginal moisturizers for everyday use.
In 2014, manufacturers’ sales of OTC feminine products (including female contraceptive products, feminine deodorants and itching remedies, yeast infection medications, and personal lubricants) increase 5.2%, driven by the dramatic boost in contraceptive products sales, which experience a 16.3% increase over 2013, according to Kline’s recently published feminine products analysis in Nonprescription Drugs USA. “These strong gains were largely driven by Teva’s Plan B and Plan B One Step emergency contraceptive brands, which have been moved out from behind the counter to full access sales regardless of age,” says Laura Mahecha, Kline’s Healthcare Industry Manager.
To learn more about the sexual wellness market, refer to Kline’s recently published Sexual Wellness: U.S. Market Analysis and Opportunities—a first-of-its-kind assessment of this quickly growing and highly fragmented market focusing on its size and growth, dynamics, product trends, competitive landscape, and the future outlook. In addition, Kline’s well-regarded Nonprescription Drugs USA report provides you with details and insights of the OTC market across more than 30 product categories, including feminine products.
