Dealers up ante in battle to control diaper market

Dealers in baby diapers are betting on value addition to post better returns and retain brand loyalty.

In Kenya, which is seen to portend greater growth prospects in East Africa, innovation and product development has triggered price wars with market leaders - Pampers, Huggies, Bouncy, Bebedou and Tena - fighting of a slice of the pie.

In Africa, Middle East and India alone, the diaper industry market is expected to reach a market size worth 185 million by 2017 with Africa expected to command 57 per cent of the revenues in the next two years, according to a recent transparency market research.

Annual sales for some manufacturers have climbed by 30 per cent annually, with smaller players now angling for a share of the lucrative market. Huggies and Pampers command about 40 per cent market share each. However, a new entrant Mamy Poko has introduced panty-style diapers - a departure from the traditional tape-style diapers.

Director at Mega Importers Ltd Dr Boniface Muiru says the Mamy Poko pull-up diaper brand is gaining popularity due to its sleek design as it is worn like a panty, laced with breathable material capable of absorbing up to five glasses of urine. “Mamy Poko is different. It is made by a Japanese company Unicharm, and imported by us. It has super absorbents and fun designs,” Dr Muiru says.

unique brand

The new panty-style brand is easy to wear thanks to its stretchable waist. Muiru says the decision to launch Mamy Poko was to create a unique brand for customers - to experience the ease and convenience of diapers.

Although washable diapers are considered environment-friendly because they are largely biodegradable, most parents prefer disposables due to time pressure. “Parents may face the dilemma in deciding which type to go for but for most buyers, pull-up diapers are the way to go,” says Muiru.

“They are easy to wear and easy to remove. So a mother or anyone in the family can easily change the baby’s diaper in any position,” he says, adding that a good fitting diaper is one with a soft elastic band and all-round waist area. Market research shows that out of the 700,000 babies born in Kenya annually, five per cent use diapers. “Pull-ups have many advantages compared to other diaper types,” says Mary Jummah, a mother of two. “Pull up diapers make life easy for a mother because they are fewer changes in a day making them more cost effective.”

Users say the products are less bulky  and do not need changing as often as tape-type diapers, making it easier to transition a baby to underwear. “Our aim is to create a new category. We are causing a revolution,” Muiru says. In anticipation of high demand, he says they will make prices affordable.

The diapers come in both premium and standard variants - ranging from small to extra-large. The average retail cost is Sh35 per piece. They are available in supermarkets.