Accelerating digitalization

The aim of Essity’s digital strategy is to increase sales growth and efficiency. The strategy is based on four development areas: how we interact with customers and consumers, digital solutions and business models, efficiency improvements across the entire business, and building digital expertise in the organization.

Effective communication

Through digital interaction with customers and consumers, we gain a better understanding of their needs, challenges and expectations. This helps us to develop the best solutions, campaigns and selling techniques. Digital channels are frequently used in marketing campaigns to reach the desired target audience and measure outcomes to maximize results.

Expanding e-commerce

In 2021, Essity’s e-commerce sales grew 15.9% and amounted to approximately 14% of the company’s net sales. E-commerce sales take place via retailer websites, e-tailers and distributors that sell our offering. We also develop our own sales directly to consumers. Our leading TENA brand has its own online stores that offer information about incontinence and the available solutions, and allow consumers to order home delivery of products.

The rise in e-commerce sales also offers higher profitability with a better product mix as a result of increased sales of premium products and own brands.

Digital solutions

New technology creates opportunities to deliver digital solutions that simplify and improve everyday life for customers and consumers. One of Essity’s digital solutions is the TENA Family Care App, which makes life easier for people who care for family members in the home, and TENA Bladder Sensor, a wearable ultrasound sensor that measures levels in the bladder and sends a notification when it is time to visit the bathroom. During the year, the Cutimed Wound Navigator was also launched, a digital wound management solution. The innovative mobile app registers the size and other properties of the wound. An assessment is carried out based on this data to offer the patient the most suitable care and wound care product. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more of Essity’s customers want to ensure good hygiene in professional environments. Tork Vision Cleaning is one example of the development of Tork EasyCube, which makes it possible to use real-time data to ensure that professional environments and toilets are clean and that dispensers of paper, soap and hand sanitizer are filled.

Internal improvements

Digitalization is also optimizing and improving Essity’s internal operations. We are continuously looking for digital solutions that can increase automation and robotization of production, distribution, logistics and administration. Initiatives within “Industry 4.0” lead to improvements in quality, efficiency and sustainability, and enable data analysis for more effective control of production flows and maintenance planning, and better decision data. Another example is Essity’s digitalization of its distribution chain and the establishment of a logistics center that includes digital planning of demand, deliveries, stocks and transportation worldwide.