Global Baby & Adult Diaper Market (Disposable, Cloth, Training, Swim pants, Biodegradable, Smart) Outlook, 2027

Diaper is defined as a soft absorbent fabric or clothing worn by users that enable the user to urinate or secrete without the utilization of toilets. Globally, the diaper industry is growing, owing to the increasing awareness about personal and baby hygiene. At the moment, high birth rates in emerging countries and growth in numbers of aging population in developed countries are propelling the demand for diaper. The diaper has been gaining its popularity predominantly due to increase in female participation in labour force and increased awareness about personal hygiene and infant hygiene, especially in North America. The increase in the number of working women provides a chance for countries to expand their workforce and achieve greater economic growth, as a result the disposable income will increase, thereby propelling the diaper market growth. Further, the market has been expanding during the past few years, owing to factors such as, aging population, increase in urban population, high birth rate in emerging countries and delayed toilet training of children in developed countries.

According to the report, Global Baby & Adult Diaper Market Outlook, 2027 the market stood around USD 79 Billion which is anticipated to reach near USD 108 Billion during the forecast period. Further, the market is projected to grow with more than 5% CAGR during the forecast period. Rising environment concerns represents a key factor driving the demand of biodegradable diapers. Biodegradable diapers are made from biodegradable fibres such as cotton, bamboo, starch, etc. These are eco-friendly in nature and safe for babies as these are chemical free. The demand for biodegradable diaper will drive the overall diaper market in coming years. More trends in the market are believed to grow the diaper market during the forecasted period, which may include continuous research and development (R&D) activities, increasing focus on ingredient transparency, and smart diaper.

Globally, the diaper industry is growing, owing to the increasing awareness about personal and baby hygiene. At the moment, high birth rates in emerging countries and growth in numbers of aging population in developed countries are propelling the demand for diaper. The diaper has been gaining its popularity predominantly due to increase in female participation in labour force and increased awareness about personal hygiene and infant hygiene, especially in North America. With the rising adult population, the prevalence of urinary incontinence has increased across the globe. Along with this, the high birth rates in emerging economies, delayed toilet training of children and the increasing trends of online purchase of baby diapers have boosted the market growth. Besides this, there has been a significant rise in the demand for biodegradable diapers that are made of eco-friendly materials. This trend, in confluence with the increasing environmental concerns regarding the harmful effects of diaper disposal, has prompted the leading diaper manufacturers to develop products using raw materials that decompose much faster than traditional diapers. Moreover, the integration of new technologies in the manufacturing of diapers, along with the continuous research and development (R&D) activities to improve the product quality, will further provide a push to the market growth. For instance, the development of absorbent core technology, which removes the fluff pulp, has enabled the production of thinner diapers.

Major players are adopting agreement and product launch, as their key developmental strategies to improve the product portfolio of baby diapers and adult incontinence machine products. For instance, in August 2019, Fameccanica Data S.p.A., a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble, signed agreement with Teknoweb Materials Srl, which deals in disposable hygiene business, and adopting T-Pad technology for manufacturing under pads, pet mats, and bed mats. The agreement aimed to improve the product portfolio of adult incontinence machine products in the region. Stress urinary products are mostly used by the women population as compared to men. It is a common urine influx problem where urethra is not able to control the pressure and prevent leakage. An increase in women passes from stress urinary diseases propels the growth of the global baby diapers and adult incontinence machine market. For instance, according to the statement of Urology Care Foundation (UCF), nearly 1 out of 3 women suffer from problem of stress urinary disease. Further, in the U.S., the number of women who use urinary diapers was 18.3 million in 2010 and is expected to reach 28.4 million by 2050.

Companies in the baby diapers market are launching biodegradable diaper pants intending to protect the environment. Biodegradable diapers are made from biodegradable fibres such as cotton, bamboo, and starch. These diapers are made from natural elements and can break down naturally to turn into soil. Increasing environmental consciousness by parents is causing demand for biodegradable diapers. To meet the demand of consumers, manufacturers have started developing eco-green diapers with raw materials that are less harmful to the environment. For example, in May 2021, Pampers launched its Pampers Pure Protection Hybrid Diapers which has benefits of both eco-friendly cloth diapers and disposable diapers. These are reusable cloth diapers with a disposable insert made with a plant-based liner. In addition to that, the rising demand for eco-friendly biodegradable diapers is another major driver for the diaper market around the globe. With babies using between 2,500 and 3,000 disposable diapers in the first year of their life, a huge strain is being created on the environment.

For instance, disposable diapers account for a mere 2% of the U.S.’s landfill waste, meaning that most are left unattended. Since conventional single-use diapers are non-biodegradable in nature, eco-friendly biodegradable diapers have gained huge traction in recent times and are now making a significant contribution to the diaper market. These diapers are not manufactured from petrochemicals, other eco-unfriendly materials, or skin irritants, therefore are safe for the sensitive skin of babies. In recent years, players in the diaper industry have launched several new and advanced products, to stay ahead of their competitors. For instance:

• In July 2019, The Procter & Gamble Company announced the launch of smart diapers that can alert parents via a smartphone app, if a diaper needs changing. The app also helps parents in keeping an eye on the baby, via a video camera installed in the nursery. It also hosts an all-in-one connected care system, featuring two activity sensors and a video monitor.
• In March 2019, The Procter & Gamble Company launched the Pampers Cruisers 360 Fit diaper that features a stretch waistband, designed for toddlers and active babies. It can be put on by pulling on the diaper like a pant and removed in simple steps. It is available in sizes 3 to 6, across all major retailers.
• In March 2019, Domtar Corporation launched its new absorbent product line in the Attends family, which includes briefs, underpads, and underwear, for the North American healthcare market, through both online and in-store channels.

With the technological advancements in the diaper industry, the baby diaper industry is experiencing new trends with a complete line of variable products such as disposable diapers, training pants, swim pants, cloth diapers, biodegradable diapers etc. Moreover, limited edition such as printed diapers, denim pants etc. innovations such as fluff less, dual grip, dual strips, leak guard, etc has helped to develop a complete range of products. On the other hand, the adult diapers are improved with their absorption capacity and design such as brief diapers, flat band, pull ups, adhesive band etc which have provided a variant in accordance with comfort and fit. All these trends have helped to grow the diaper market by introducing competitive products which can help the consumer to select the best quality. The diaper industry also developed the biodegradable diapers made from natural fibre which can decompose in a short span of time.

In today's modern world, trends have played an important role in diaper market. Trends such as demand for thinner diapers with high absorbency are leading in market. Moreover, digital media such as social networking, websites, and e-commerce have also eased the buying of diapers. Customers can compare different qualities at just one click and choose the best one out of it. However, high price of baby diaper and adult diaper machines, and fluctuation in raw material prices are anticipated to hinder the growth of the market. On the other hand, technological innovations are anticipated to provide lucrative opportunities for the growth of market.

Covid-19 Impacts:

The COVID-19 pandemic had a mixed impact on the global diaper market. As a result of the pandemic, an increase in demand for diaper was observed especially in baby diaper market. The impact of prolonged lockdown had created a sudden gap in supply and demand of the diaper industry. The COVID-19 created awareness about eco-friendly products and usage of adult diaper was redefined. In the coming years, the market is predicted to grow at a faster rate and recover to the pre-COVID marks. With the increased understanding of the benefits of adult diapers, large number of private companies involvement in adult diaper industry, and changes in marketing techniques has been observed in the industry.

Major Companies considered in the report:

Procter & Gamble, Kimberly & Clark Corporation, Unicharm Corporation, Domtar Corporation, The Daio Paper Corporation, Ontex Group, Kao Corporation, Essity AB, Hengan International Group company, Johnson & Johnson, Drylock Technologies, Paul Hartmann AG, First Quality Enterprises, Inc, Medline Industries, Inc, Nobel hygine, Bumkins Inc, The Honest Company, Cotton Babies Inc, Bumberry.

Considered In the Report

• Geography: Global
• Historic year: 2016
• Base year: 2021
• Estimated year: 2022
• Forecasted year: 2027

Covered in the report:

• Global diaper market
• Global baby diaper market
• Global adult diaper market
• Market trends & developments
• Key facts about the leading market players

How it will help solving your strategic decision-making process?

• Global diaper market scenario (historical & forecast)
• Global diaper market size (baby & adult)
• Global diaper market share (by company, type, region, country)
• Global baby diaper market scenario (historical& forecast)
• Global baby diaper size( historical & forecast)
• Global baby diaper market share (by country, company, type, region)
• North America diaper market scenario(historical& forecast - baby & adult )
• North America diaper market size(baby & adult)
• North America diaper market share (by country, company, type, region)
• Europe diaper market scenario(historical& forecast - baby & adult )
• Europe diaper market size(baby & adult)
• Europe diaper market share (by country, company, type, region)
• Asia-Pacific diaper market scenario(historical& forecast - baby & adult )
• Asia-Pacific diaper market size(baby & adult)
• Asia-Pacific diaper market share (by country, company, type, region)
• South America diaper market scenario(historical& forecast - baby & adult )
• South America diaper market size(baby & adult)
• South America diaper market share (by country, company, type, region)
• Middle East & Africa diaper market scenario(historical& forecast - baby & adult )
• Middle East & Africa diaper market size(baby & adult)
• Middle East & Africa diaper market share (by country, company, type, region)
• Global adult market scenario ( historical & forecast)
• Global adult diaper size( historical & forecast)
• Global adult diaper market share (by company, region, country)
• Market trends & developments
• Company profiles of leading companies

Intended audience

This report can be useful to Industry consultants, manufacturers and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.

Report Methodology

The information contained in this report is based upon both primary and secondary research. Primary research included interviews with various channel partners of diaper market. Secondary research included an exhaustive search of relevant publications like company annual reports, financial reports and proprietary databases.