Baby Diapers Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Growth and Change

Executive Summary

Major players in the baby diapers market are Bumkins Inc., Domtar Corporation, Essity AB, Hengan International Group Company Limited, Kao Corporation, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Ontex Group NV, The Procter & Gamble Company, Unicharm Corporation, Fujian Shuangheng Group Co. Ltd., DSG International Ltd., Bambo Nature USA, Daio Paper Corporation, Philips Healthcare, Drylock Technologies NV, Cotton Babies, Svenska Cellulosa AB, and Pigeon Corp.

The global baby diapers market is expected to grow from $47.48 billion in 2020 to $50.32 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $65.50 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 6.8%.

The baby diapers market consists of sales of baby diapers by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that allow the babies to urinate or defecate without using a toilet. A baby diaper is a soft piece of high-quality material that is wrapped around the bottom of a baby which prevents spoiling of outer clothing or the external environment when the child defecates or urinates by absorbing them. Diapers need to be changed when they get stained to stop the harmful effects and infections caused by them.

The main types of baby diapers are cloth diapers, disposable diapers, and others. A cloth diaper, often known as a cloth nappy or a real nappy, is a reusable diaper consisting of natural fibers, synthetic materials, or a combination of the two. They're frequently manufactured of industrial cotton, which can be bleached white or kept natural. The baby diaper is available in various sizes such as small and extra small (s and xs), medium (m), large (l), extra-large (xl) and is used for infants (0‐6 months), babies, and young toddlers (6‐18 months), toddlers (18‐24 months), children above 2 years. These baby diapers are made available to customers through various distribution channels including hypermarkets or supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacy or drug stores, online sales channels, and others.

North America was the largest region in the baby diapers market in 2020. The Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa.

Companies in the baby diapers market are launching biodegradable diaper pants intending to protect the environment. Biodegradable diapers are made from biodegradable fibers 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 April 2020, Kimberly-Clark, a US-based company manufacturing personal care products including baby diapers announced the acquisition of Softex Indonesia for $1.2 billion. Through this acquisition, Kimberly-Clark expands its footprint into developing and emerging markets of Indonesia for the personal care products such as baby diapers, feminine care, and adult care. Softex Indonesia is an Indonesian company that manufactures baby diapers.

The rising working women population across the globe is expected to contribute to the growth of the baby diapers market in the forecast period. Disposable diapers are a convenient, safe, and time-saving option for a working woman as they can be discarded and need not be cleaned for reuse. This helps working women to avoid the regular disturbance caused when the child defecates or urinate. For instance, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, in 2021, around 57.4% of women participate in the labor force 2019. Thus, an increase in the working women population is expected to drive the demand for baby diapers contributing to the growth of the market.

The countries covered in the baby diapers market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

Companies Mentioned

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes:

• Bumkins Inc.
• Domtar Corporation
• Essity AB
• Hengan International Group Company Limited
• Kao Corporation
• Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Ontex Group NV
• The Procter & Gamble Company
• Unicharm Corporation
• Fujian Shuangheng Group Co. Ltd.
• DSG International Ltd.
• Bambo Nature USA
• Daio Paper Corporation
• Philips Healthcare
• Drylock Technologies NV
• Cotton Babies
• Svenska Cellulosa AB
• Pigeon Corp.

Methodology