Monthly Retailer Category Tip — Family Planning and Feminine Care

by Tara Kaifesh, category analyst, and Kelly Zygowski, category analyst, part of Monthly  Retailer Category Tips

Take advantage of the swell of interest in women’s health as well as new product introductions of the past year to refresh your feminine care and family planning departments to boost sales.

Women’s health has received more attention in recent years, and perimenopause and menopause in particular have been a focus. There have been new product introductions spanning categories — including supplements, testing kits, and probiotics. Since a significant portion of independent pharmacy shoppers are 50+ and female, you likely have a subset of customers who would be interested in these products that can ease their symptoms. Create an endcap to assess interest and be prepared to consult with customers as they review their options. There are terrific resources available on the Society for Women’s Health Research website, https://swhr.org/health_focus_area/menopause/, for you and customers. If sales of particular items take off, add those items to your regular assortment and add a shelf sign to increase visibility of its new placement.

This article from Scripps News states that since 2019, the average price of a pack of sanitary pads has risen 41%, with tampons increasing by 36% according to Circana. It includes information about period poverty, stating, “Nonprofits like The Period Collective and Alliance for Period Supplies say the bigger price tags are affecting the people they work with, including lower-income neighborhoods, students, people of color and people with disabilities.” Looking for a way to make a difference in your community? Depending on your location and the community you serve, this could be an opportunity to educate and assist a local non-profit by being a collection site for donated products. Using signage in the department and at checkouts, make customers aware that they can help by purchasing feminine care items from your store to be given to the local charity of your choice.

Every year, HRG category research analysts assemble a list of the “Future 50” new products for Drug Store News (DSN). The list features new health, beauty, and wellness (HBW) products that HRG analysts forecast to have the greatest potential of succeeding. A significant portion of the top 10 of the 2024 new products are in the family planning category — a department that doesn’t typically feature multiple, new innovative products. Add these items to your family planning department to drive traffic, sales and profits.