"Despite More Affordable Sanitary Pads, the 'Premium Market' Remains Firm"

Share of Mid- to Low-Priced Sanitary Pads Remains at 4–7%
More Affordable Options Added, But Market Still Dominated by High-Priced Products
"Barriers to Distribution Must Be Lowered for Small and Medium Manufacturers"

After President Lee Jaemyung publicly raised concerns over the price of sanitary pads, the industry has moved to expand its range of mid- to low-priced sanitary pads. However, the market remains firmly centered on high-priced products. There are calls for measures beyond simply increasing mid- to low-priced products, such as supporting smaller manufacturers' entry into distribution networks to promote greater market competition.

A clerk is arranging sanitary pad products at a large supermarket in Seoul. Photo by The Asia Business Daily

According to industry sources on May 14, the proportion of mid- to low-priced sanitary pads sold by Yuhan-Kimberly, a leading household goods company, remains at just 4–7% of its total sales. Since announcing its plan to expand its mid- to low-priced sanitary pad offerings in January, Yuhan-Kimberly has launched new products and increased their presence in major offline retail outlets starting in March. However, these efforts have not resulted in a meaningful change in the sales ratio. Analysts say that consumer demand is still heavily focused on premium products.

A Yuhan-Kimberly official explained, "Most sales occurred within the existing consumer base that already used mid- to low-priced products," and added, "The newly launched Super Long product is not a category with particularly high usage frequency, so the effect on expanding sales was limited."

The industry is accelerating the expansion of mid- to low-priced products, with prices set at about half that of premium products. In March, Yuhan-Kimberly added the “Good Feel Pure Super Long Overnight” to its lineup, increasing its mid- to low-priced range from three items (Good Feel Pure Medium, Good Feel Pure Large, and Good Feel Kotex Overnight) to four. LG Unicharm also officially registered and began production of the budget-friendly sanitary pad "Sofy Regular" last month.

On March 9th, Good Feel Pure Super Long Overnight began its first production at the Yuhan-Kimberly Daejeon Plant. Yuhan-Kimberly

However, voices in and outside the industry point out that simply increasing the number of mid- to low-priced products will have clear limitations in lowering the prices consumers actually feel. The domestic sanitary pad market is dominated by three major manufacturers (Yuhan-Kimberly, KleanNara, and LG Unicharm), which together account for about 80% of the entire market. In effect, the prices of these companies' main products dictate the average market price.

Industry analysis suggests that the current high-price structure has become entrenched as these companies focus on selling premium products — highlighting features such as "organic," "pure cotton," and "zero harmful substances" — leveraging the sensitive nature of women's hygiene products. Additionally, advertising, marketing expenses, and a complex distribution structure have further raised overall market prices. According to the National Statistical Portal (KOSIS), the consumer price index for sanitary pads increased from 100.49 in 2021 to 119.31 last year, marking an almost 19% rise over five years.

Experts emphasize that more active measures are needed to promote market competition, such as lowering barriers for small and medium-sized manufacturers to enter distribution networks. As long as the market remains centered on large manufacturers, even if the number of mid- to low-priced products increases, the resulting price reductions felt by consumers will inevitably be limited.

Choi Cheol, professor of Consumer Economics at Sookmyung Women's University, stated, "It is necessary to expand distribution and sales opportunities so that small- and medium-sized companies — which can supply products at relatively reasonable prices due to lower promotional costs — can reach more consumers," adding, "The more active the competition in the market, the greater the overall price stabilization effect, which will ultimately benefit consumers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.