According to Euromonitor International, demand for sanitary protection in Bulgaria fully recovered in 2021 following the marginal dip experienced by the category the previous year due to home seclusion as a result of the pandemic. Greater mobility outside of the home as restrictions relaxed, meant that women changed towels more frequently, while tampons, which had suffered the most during the pandemic due to a significant reduction in travel and activities, recorded notable retail volume growth in 2021 to surpass 2019 sales. Restrictions that had been introduced to control the spread of the virus were lifted in Bulgaria during the summer season while travelling abroad was still limited. This was particularly beneficial for domestic tourism, as most Bulgarians chose local destinations for their holidays. As an extremely seasonal product, demand for tampons was positively influenced by the warm summer months by the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Moreover, the opening of nightclubs and bars for a significant proportion of the year increased demand for pantyliners as these are mainly used by female consumers with active social lives.

Further switch towards discreet slim/thin/ultra-thin towels

Demand for sanitary protection in Bulgarian is determined by quality and discretion. As a result, retail volume sales of slim/thin/ultra-thin towels with wings continued to increase, while there was a further move away from standard towels and options without wings. This is because most innovations by player are now focused on slim/ thin/ultra-thin towels. Furthermore, slim/thin/ultra-thin towels enjoys fairly high loyalty amongst its target audience, with women rarely switching from their favourite brand.

Interest in natural and sustainable products influences new launches

The trend towards more natural products and sustainable production has strengthened within sanitary protection in Bulgaria. This is influencing new product development by players through the use of raw materials that have natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties such as aloe vera and chamomile extract or towels with calming herbs, and are free from added chemicals or fragrances.

Furthermore, Johnson & Johnson’s o b launched tampons made from 100% organic cotton in 2021, which have not been bleached with chlorine and are chemical and fragrance free, and therefore have support from Ecocert. Since the launch, the new product has enjoyed excellent consumer response despite being 20% more expensive than standard options. Younger people are also very attracted to menstrual cups as they are reusable and therefore represent better value, as well as being a more environmentally-friendly alternative to tampons.