Demand for sexual health care products has increased by 15%, especially for intimate deodorants (64%), condoms (51%) and topical contraceptives (31%). These are data from the Cofares Observatory of Trends, which also highlights a 4% increase in sales of facial care treatments.
Within the framework of the European Sexual Health Day, the Observatory has analyzed the demand for three areas of sexual and personal health care products: intimate and facial health and supplementation.
Has self-love reached personal health?
The data from the report, called “Has self-esteem reached personal health?”, indicates that the accumulated sales of sexual health products between 2022 and 2023 represent 6% more in volume of units. Comparing it with respect to the two previous years, demand has grown by up to 15%.
Varieties of condoms from a supermarket. EFE/RRSIn the pandemic and in the post-pandemic, according to the Observatory, the demand for sexual care products has remained “strong” and has been increasing. The one that has increased the most is that of intimate deodorants (64%), condoms (51%) and topical contraceptives (31%).
According to the data, in the case of condoms, consumption has grown by 51% between the period 2023-2021 and 9% between 2023-2022.
Sales of lubricants have grown by 7%.
Regarding intrauterine devices that prevent fertilization, known as IUDs, their use has stabilized in recent months.
From the beginning of 2022 to 2023, cumulative sales of these have increased by 11%. However, Cofares clarifies that pre-pandemic levels have not been reached and growth is lower than the accumulated figure in 2021 (-61%).
Lubricants, intimate soaps and condoms, the most requested
And in the period from 2021 to 2023, the products in the personal care and intimate hygiene basket most requested by pharmacies are lubricants, followed by intimate soaps and condoms.
There is an increase in the use of these products in the fall and winter months. In this sense, the Observatory points out that there is a seasonal pattern in its consumption, with significant peaks at those times of the year.
By communities
By autonomous communities, from 2022 to January 2023 it has increased in almost all of the autonomies where Cofares is a distributor. The greatest demand for all these products has been registered in Madrid, Andalusia, the Valencian Community and Catalonia, accounting for 65% of the total.
And in 2023, the annual growth has been 9% in Madrid; 5% in Andalusia; 13%, in the Valencian Community; and 8%, in Catalonia.
In the specific case of condoms, the autonomous regions where they have sold the most in the last year have been Madrid (a growth of 19%), Andalusia (11%) and Catalonia (10%).
facial care
The Observatory points out that the confinement and mobility restrictions had their effect on the demand for facial treatments, a category that since 2021 has been improving. Although it has suffered moments of ups and downs until the end of 2022.
At the start of the year, sales show an annual balance of growth of 4%.