P&G Poised to Re-Enter the Adult Incontinence Market

It may not be the sexiest growth category, but in the U.S. and other developed countries, adult incontinence is growing so fast that Proctor and Gamble Co. is about to reverse a 15-year-old decision and re-enter the market in a big way, according to industry watchers.

Always Discreet product sold in U.K. P&G is preparing to launch by this fall a major extension of its Always feminine care brand in adult incontinence after years of testing the move in the U.K. The brand name there was Always Discreet and will likely be the same in the U.S.

P&G will put $150 million in marketing support behind the effort in the U.S. alone, according to Tom Wilson, a former Kimberly-Clark Corp. executive who's now principal in The Caregiver Partnership, where he's blogged about P&G's plans in recent months. Mr. Wilson said he's heard from industry executives that P&G will launch 24 items in pads and underpants, with a three-year commitment to a campaign with heavy concentration on digital, social and mobile media.

Mr. Wilson and Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Ali Dibadj ultimately expect P&G to enter adult incontinence throughout Western Europe, Japan and South Korea as well. It's likely to be a serious challenge to established players that include Kimberly-Clark Corp.'s Depend and Poise, SCA's Tena and Serenity Brands and Kao and Unicharm in Asia among others.

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