According to a study conducted by The Freedonia Group, demand for wipes, both consumer and industrial, is forecast to increase 4.3% per annum to $2.3 billion in 2014. Wipes will continue to benefit from features such as ease-of-use, disposability, portability and reduced risk of cross-contamination. Nevertheless, growth will decelerate from rates achieved during the 2004 to 2009 period, due to increasing market maturity and a shift in preferences to more environmentally friendly consumer goods and cleaning methods. In response to the “green” trend, wipes manufacturers will continue to develop more environmentally friendly products, such as those that are biodegradable.
Convenience, consumer acceptance and innovation will remain driving forces in the consumer market, with hand and body, among other small volume consumer wipes, projected to register the strongest growth. Hand and body wipes, such as bathroom hygiene and general purpose bathing, will enjoy increased market penetration. Market penetration of general purpose bathing wipes is increasing among individuals who are bedridden or find it difficult to enter and exit a bathtub. While baby wipes will remain the top selling type of consumer wipe, demand growth will continue to be restrained by market maturity, as well as continued replacement by newer, task-specific wipes in non-diaper applications, where baby wipes once enjoyed considerable popularity.
