Unicharm has opened female-run stores in rural India that specialize in selling its feminine hygiene products, a move aimed at fostering female entrepreneurs and encouraging women in India to use feminine hygiene products. The stores are located primarily in rural areas of northern India, where there are few pharmacies or convenience stores.
In 2021, Unicharm began working with the Pure India Trust, an NGO, to launch the Jagriti Project (meaning "awakening") to support women living in rural India. The project aims to raise awareness about women's use of sanitary napkins and to provide employment and income opportunities for women in rural India, thereby promoting their economic independence.
The project began with research in 17 villages in India to better understand the situation of local women. A baseline study of more than 1,500 women was also conducted, and based on the findings, 10 women entrepreneurs were selected to run the stores. in June 2021, Unicharm opened 10 stores in rural areas of Sikar, Rajasthan, India.
The stores sell six-packs of Sophie's sanitary napkins for 36 rupees (44 cents). According to Unicharm, women who run such stores can earn about 2,000 to 3,000 rupees ($25 to $37) per month.
Currently, Sophie's market share is about 10% in urban India, but only about 4% in the highly populated rural areas. the Jagriti project will expand access to menstrual products for women in rural India.
The project then continued to expand with the selection of 20 more women entrepreneurs to run 20 stores. 2021, 50 more women were selected in the Indian states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
In rural India, only about 40 percent of women use sanitary napkins, and many girls are forced to stop school during menstruation. Through the Jagriti project, Unicharm hopes to double the use of sanitary napkins to 80 percent by 2030.