“Age is not the only contributing factor; obesity, PTSD, prostate surgeries, child birth and other factors increase the incidences of incontinence and usually require a different approach and a variety of product formats to manage the conditions,” says Svetlana Uduslivaia, head of Home & Tech Americas at Euromonitor International.
This wide range of incontinence sufferers has opened up opportunities for manufacturers to innovate in this space, and they are continuing to improve absorbency levels, odor control, skin friendliness and breathability in new products. These new developments in pads, disposable underwear, adult diapers and other products have allowed manufacturers to grow and reach new customers. Factors such as increasing awareness and understanding of various incontinence conditions, normalization and better access to products are contributing to this growth.
“Overall trends are somewhat similar to what has been happening in the past few years – product innovation with focus on discretion, comfort, and aesthetics; innovation and marketing aimed at a wider audience, as opposed to only focusing on elderly; younger women and men are in focus too,” Uduslivaia explains.