In Japan, adult diapers are starting to outsell those for babies. That as birthrates plummet and society ages. Around 29% of the country’s population is now over 65 and that percentage is only set to grow.
Meanwhile, the number of babies born in the country fell for an eighth year in 2023. At diaper maker, Daio Paper, near Mount Fuji, factory, Manager Naoto Sugaya says the trend is clear.
“The number of diapers we’re producing is increasing year by year thanks to the growing market for adult diapers in Japan. We’re also producing a wide variety of diapers on account of the growing number of customers.”
Over the five years to 2027, Japan’s adult diaper market is forecast to grow 16% to over USD 600 million. Meanwhile, sales of baby diapers are set to shrink 8%, to around $530 million.
A big diaper manufacturer, Oji Holdings, has already said it will stop selling baby diapers altogether. Daio Paper says it has no plans to stop making products for children, but they are no longer the priority.
Marketing Manager, Kenji Nakata, says the firm is shifting its resources to focus on the adult market. They’re also developing diapers that are discreet and can be worn without embarrassment. With countries around the world facing aging populations, Japan may not be the last to see diapers find new customers.
Source: eNCA
In other news – Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s marital home hits the market
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have publically listed their Beverly Hills mansion.
The 12-bedroom, 24-bathroom California home finally made it to the market on Thursday, nearly a month after the couple had been set on selling the property. Affleck, 51, and Lopez, 54, previously purchased the 38,000-square-foot estate in May 2023 for $60,805,000. Read more