Sanitary protection is a mature market with high penetration. For this reason, value and volume sales are fairly flat and not helped by deep discounting by the major retailers. Sales of towels and liners have been somewhat more buoyant than tampons. NPD has focused on improving existing products, with a strong focus on added freshness.

Price discounting has driven down the retail price of san pro brands, while own label products offering similar features and benefits present a further challenge. San pro manufacturers must become more adept at exploiting niches (e.g. over-45s), and developing higher value.

• Heavily branded market.
• Trust and reliability very important.
• Market very much focussed on function and could do more to address other issues surrounding women's periods.

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