Hygiene and Health Market

The global population is growing and the global average life expectancy is rising. This means greater demand for hygiene and health solutions and offers growth opportunities for Essity. For example, the prevalence of incontinence and various chronic conditions rises with age, increasing the need for the products and solutions offered by Essity.

Awareness of the importance of hygiene and health is increasing worldwide and has accelerated further due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a growing threat from antimicrobial resistance (AMR). There is greater awareness of the importance of preventive measures, such as good hand hygiene, cleaning procedures and hygiene solutions both in the home and in professional environments to avoid the spread of infections. This is expected to increase demand in several of Essity’s product categories and also demonstrates the importance of Essity’s continued development of solutions that improve hygiene and health around the world. Demand is also positively impacted over time by the reduction in poverty worldwide, the fact that living standards and disposable incomes are increasing, and access to healthcare is improving.

There is a growing awareness of sustainability issues such as climate change, resource scarcity, biodiversity and equal opportunities for people. The COP27 climate summit, global efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement’s targets to reduce global warming and the UN Sustainable Development Goals are examples of this. Essity’s innovation work is based on the premise of offering solutions that increase opportunities for people to live an active and equitable life, while leaving a lower climate footprint. It is a strategic priority for Essity to be leading in sustainability to ensure its future growth and competitiveness, and to mitigate risks in the company and contribute toward a sustainable society.