Baby Care
Launch of Lotus Baby Touch diapers and wet wipes in France
France is one of Europe’s biggest baby diaper markets with over 780,000 births per year and there has been a lack of competitive choices when it comes to diapers. Our brand, Lotus, is a strong consumer tissue brand with over 50 years of history in France. Combining the strength of the Lotus brand with Essity’s baby care category know-how, our excellent go-to-market, as well as deep relations with France’s leading retailers, we set the ground for a great launch of a new baby care brand in France. Our new brand, Lotus Baby Touch, pushes the boundaries and strives to be a modern brand for today’s parent.
Offering and market position
Essity offers open baby diapers and pant diapers as well as baby care products such as wet wipes, shampoo, lotion and baby oil. Essity is the world’s fifth largest player in the area and the second largest in Europe. In Europe, Essity markets baby diapers under its own Libero and Lotus brands and as retailers’ brands. Essity’s strongest market is the Nordic region, where the Libero brand is the market leader. Examples of other strong regional brands are Drypers in South East Asia and Pequeñin in South America.
Strategy
Essity works to strengthen its branded positions in both mature and emerging markets and to improve profitability in Baby Care. The strategy is to hold the number one or two position in the selected markets in which we are present. For Baby Care, it is important to have a premium or super-premium offering in order to be competitive. Through continuous innovation activities, we develop our customer offering for both our branded and retailer branded product ranges.
In 2017, Essity launched in France under the Lotus brand a new premium range, Lotus Baby Touch, that includes baby diapers and wet wipes. The launch of innovative products strengthen Baby Care’s brands and market positions. During the year, we launched five innovations, including a new generation of Libero Up&Go. During 2017, we discontinued the hygiene business in India, which largely related to Baby Care. The reason for the closure was the assessment that profitability could not be achieved within a reasonable time frame.
In the new Libero club, parents can invite family and friends to follow their children’s development and exciting life events. Highlights of the year are gathered in a personal photobook that can be ordered via Libero’s loyalty program at the website www.libero.se/nya-liberoklubben.