The global baby powder market is poised for expansion, with the sector set for over a 5.20 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR). That will help beat the market's valuation of $ 1.449 billion through 2029.
Major tailwinds are being created in the global baby powder market because of the shifting preference for organic ingredients in baby talc powder. Considering this, the overall sales in the baby powder market registered year-on-year growth of 5 percent in 2022.
Yahoo! reported that numerous studies over the past few years have revealed that talc-based baby powder, when inhaled by humans, may cause talcum powder poisoning. Talcum powder poisoning is dangerous as it results in twitching, breathing problems, fever, cough, convulsions, collapse, and in some cases, even death.
Manufacturers shifting to cornstarch as base ingredient of baby powder
Given the danger that talc-based baby powder poses, manufacturers have started shifting the base ingredient of their products from talcum to plant-based ingredients such as rice powder, arrowroot, baking soda & tapioca starch, and cornstarch.
For example, Johnson & Johnson Company, the leading player in the baby powder market, strengthened its product portfolio. They introduced three variants of baby powder that are cornstarch-based to meet growing demand.
According to a report by Forbes, Johnson & Johnson paid out over $100 million to settle more than 1,000 lawsuits that claimed that the pharmaceutical giant's baby powder caused cancer. The settlement by Johnson & Johnson is the first in four years of litigation regarding their baby powder products. Johnson & Johnson was forced to recall 33,000 bottles of its baby powder products in October 2019 out of an abundance of caution after trace amounts of asbestos were discovered.
Cornstarch-based baby powder is expected to gain considerable traction in the global baby powder market during the aforementioned forecast period. The surge in sales would be attributed to the perception that cornstarch is much safer than talc as it is an organic ingredient with relatively larger particles.
Another takeaway from the study is that North America and Europe combined to account for about 50 percent of the market share in the global baby powder market, mainly because of the high penetration rate in these particular regions.
Conventional baby powder remains popular among consumers
According to Future Market Insights, the premium price products segment is also estimated to witness a significant CAGR growth in the global baby powder market during the forecasted period. Companies are now focusing on the premiumization of baby powders, with products associated with high safety and quality standards.
The product availability of conventional baby powder remains higher in the market than that of organic baby powder. The main reason why this is the case is that organic baby powder is relatively more expensive than conventional baby powder. Given its lower cost, conventional baby powder has higher sales.
