The World is Aging: By 2030, the median age in the U.S. will be 40, up from today’s 37, leaving more women between the ages of 40 and 64 than women under 18, according to the 2017 census projections. And of the ~170M women in the US, as well as women globally, all have experienced — or will eventually experience — menopause, a market opportunity ripe for targeted solutions.
Even though a whopping 1 billion women will embark upon this journey at some juncture, a pronounced stigma remains a looming challenge, leading to a gap in awareness and support that demands attention.
While most women will notice the onset of menopause symptoms — from neurological, to digestive and cardiac — during the “transition” phase (perimenopause) as early as age 45, the entirety of the menopause cycle can last anywhere from 5-10 years; a chapter of life that also impacts women at the peak of their career, with economic implications as well as physical and emotional well being.
Learn more about the economic impact on women who navigate the world of menopause without adequate support.
While the common perception is that men might not be “in the know” when it comes to menopause symptoms — 48 in all! — surprisingly, it’s women who are in the dark the most about their own body — 51% of them, according to menopause brand partner, GenM.
Fortunately, the pendulum is starting to shift, thanks to emerging solutions and online resources, emboldening women to take charge of their health and comfort. With symptoms that may include: anxiety, concentration, weight gain, skin and hair, and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), to name a few, it’s no surprise that women may mistake these symptoms for other conditions, shedding light on even more reason to inform and educate on the topic.
Even as women begin incrementally, to take proactive steps toward greater understanding of the menopause phase, according to GenM, 97% believe that brands should do more to cater to their demographic, and find that access to support that speaks to the spectrum of their needs — mental, physical, and emotional — is limited.
As such, brands still have a way to go in creating and marketing relevant product offerings that truly connect with today’s women who view menopause-oriented advertising as “uninspiring, unrelatable, and outdated” — and that’s of the only 9% of menopausal women who have even been exposed to menopause-friendly marketing.
Commercially, the opportunity is clear: If brands can tap into this widely underserved market segment through genuine empathy, creativity, and authentic representation, the sky’s the limit.
of menopausal women have never seen any specific marketing for menopause friendly-products
Source: The GenM Invisibility Reports
of menopausal women felt “blindsided” or “unprepared” by menopause
of menopausal women felt they “knew almost nothing until it started”
As menopause is a natural life process opposed to a systemic illness, for example, many consumer prefer non-medical approaches to manage symptoms. However, many women reported no treatment of symptoms at all due to lack of information and/or alternatives to one of the current gold standards, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (source: Forbes).
A significant number of women experiencing menopause symptoms are either reluctant to try hormone therapies or may not be a candidate. Awareness of adverse effects of HRT might increase the adoption of supplements.
The Global dietary supplement menopause market is expected to reach $2 billion by 2027 with a CAGR of 5.4%.
Source: Nicholas Hall
of those surveyed said that they do not plan on taking HRT, favoring alternative ways to help manage their symptoms
of UK women mentioned supplements as preferred solutions for menopause support
IFF, together with other leading companies, has joined the GenM collective with the mission to improve women’s health & wellbeing during menopause. This powerful community is committed to serving mid-life women every step of the way, helping them to embrace the positive experiences of menopause.
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