Lee: "Sanitary Pads Are Too Expensive"... Industry Expands Mid- to Low-Priced Lines

Yuhan-Kimberly to Launch New Product in Second Quarter

After President Lee Jae-myung pointed out that domestic sanitary pad prices are excessively high compared to those overseas, the household goods industry is rushing to expand its range of mid- to low-priced sanitary pad products. The aim is to supply these products at around half the price of premium products, so that even vulnerable groups can use them without financial burden.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House on the 20th.

According to industry sources on January 26, Yuhan-Kimberly plans to launch a new mid- to low-priced line called "Good Feel Super Long Overnight" within the second quarter of this year. Currently, Yuhan-Kimberly supplies three types of mid- to low-priced sanitary pads through "Good Feel Pure" and "Good Feel Kotex Overnight." With the launch of this new product, Yuhan-Kimberly will offer a total of four types of mid- to low-priced products.

The company also decided to strengthen offline distribution and sales of its mid- to low-priced product lines. At present, Good Feel Pure is mainly sold through Coupang, and recently, supply has been expanded to Gmarket, Naver Store, and its own online mall, MamQ, as a first step. Going forward, Yuhan-Kimberly plans to actively pursue expansion into offline channels through negotiations with distributors. Good Feel Kotex Overnight will continue to be supplied through Daiso and agency channels.

In addition, LG Unicharm will also launch a basic sanitary pad product in the first half of this year, with the price burden reduced to about half that of premium products. The company is currently undergoing related procedures, such as item change notification with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and plans to officially launch the product as soon as the process is completed around mid-March.

Previously, President Lee Jae-myung pointed out the high domestic sanitary pad prices during the Cabinet meeting on January 20 and instructed officials to consider producing low-cost sanitary pads that even vulnerable groups can use and supplying them free of charge. In response, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is reviewing follow-up measures together with related ministries.