Adult Diapers Are Popular Among Japanese Women, And Japan Has The Highest Penetration Rate in The Global Incontinence Market

Adult diapers were originally designed to be used by the sick and elderly, but in fact, adult diaper products have become very popular in Japan, especially among the young female population.

 

The picture comes from the open website

A few years ago, there was this story on Yahoo that focused on the growing trend of wearing adult diapers in Japan, especially for women looking to save time.

This social phenomenon has several meanings and origins.

The first is that young women use diapers instead of going to the bathroom at work in order to save time

Since there is a cult of work in Japan, where millions of men and women work without vacations, competition for employment is fierce.

As a result, young Japanese women have come up with the idea of optimizing their work time by wearing diapers so as not to get out of the workflow. And many Japanese bosses incentivize this behavior by rewarding their employees for this efficient career development service.

For this reason there is also an odd office trend in Japan of using diapers instead of panties ......

The picture comes from the open website

The second is the culture of fetishism

In Japan, a fetish culture called ABDL, or “adult diaper lovers” has developed. This is a process of role-playing in which not only diapers are used, but also other equipment designed for babies, such as rattles, powders, diapers and baby clothes.

The interaction is said to have a therapeutic process that helps restore a disturbed sense of basic love and security. And as part of an ABDL fetish, adult diapers can be an element of role play.

The picture comes from the open website

In addition to the above two, there is also a part of the reason attributed to the rapid aging of Japan's population.

Last year, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications publicly stated:

For that matter, the Tokyo Times also went to the report and said, “In Japan, adult diapers are sold 2.5 times more than baby diapers, making the margins higher and the business attractive.”

According to Statista, the demand for diapers in Japan is expected to increase from 5.81 billion to 8.66 billion from 2011 to 2020, reaching a growth of 49.05%.

Ten Billion Dollar Adult Incontinence Market

Globally, the prevalence of adult diapers is highest in Japan at 80%. In North America, it is 65%. In Western Europe, it is 58%. In the rest of the world, it is only 2%. The world average penetration rate for adult diapers is 12%.

But according to a report by global market researcher SkyQuest this past July

In the U.S., demand for adult diapers is growing, with sales increasing by 10 percent annually. According to SkyQuest's market analysis, the U.S. adult diaper market is projected to grow at a rate of 6 percent over the next five years, a demand that is largely due to the aging population and caregiving responsibilities.

Adults may need to wear adult diapers for a number of reasons, including incontinence, age, and childbirth.

By the end of 2021, more than 150 million people will fall into the 65+ age bracket, and this number is expected to reach 426 million by 2050, which represents a huge growth potential for the adult diapers market.

Increasing preference for online shopping across the globe is the major factor driving the growth of the global adult diapers market, while increasing availability of innovative products is also largely driving the growth of the adult diapers market in the coming years.

Moreover, increase in the number of employed people, especially women, is further increasing the demand for personal hygiene products such as adult diapers through online retail channels.

All these are expected to be driving the global demand for adult diapers and positively impacting the market growth over the forecast period.

Adult Diapers Market Growth Drivers

As of now, growing awareness and adoption in developing regions is significantly driving the growth of the adult diapers market.

The low demand for adult diapers in developing countries such as India, Indonesia, and the Philippines is mainly due to the lack of awareness about the product and its associated benefits, and the reluctance of women in these countries to purchase such products from public healthcare commodities or retail outlets.

However, increasing acceptance and availability of adult diapers that offer improved convenience, comfort, and skincare benefits to incontinent patients is expected to drive the growth of the adult diapers market in North America.

In addition, the renewal of several skin-friendly and eco-friendly diaper products is increasingly driving the growth of the adult diapers market in Asia Pacific, and the impact of these product innovations is expected to increase awareness and adoption of such products among consumers in developing countries.