Increasing fear of infectious diseases across the country is anticipated to drive the growth of hand hygiene market during the upcoming timeframe: Bonafide Research

Growing awareness regarding hygiene and skin wellness, increasing fear of infectious diseases, rising importance of hand washing habits and the smart marketing strategies of players are driving the growth of hand hygiene market in India.

The outburst of various infectious diseases like H1N1 flu (swine flu) has heightened the public awareness in India, which has led to considerate increase in the health and hygiene awareness. The increased fear of infectious diseases has been a major role changer for the hand washing habits of people. They are now aware that the diseases are spread majorly through hands as they habitat the maximum number of bacteria. Regular hand washing habits after playing, before eating and to be safe at some regular interval of times is growingly accepted by Indian families. Global Hand Washing Day, celebrated on 15 October is now a fiesta among kids as over the years many schools have actively organized events on this day preaching the students about hand hygiene. Through this event the importance of hand hygiene reaches to every home. Good hand washing habits and proper hand washing methods are taught to the kids in school, which imparts hygiene awareness at an early age among kids.

According to recently published report of Bonafide Research “India Hand Hygiene Market Overview, 2022-2028”, the growth in the Indian market is in accordance to various campaigns which promote importance of hygiene in everyday life. The Swachh Bharat Mission, an initiative to clean India started by Prime Minister, is also spreading hygiene awareness on a large scale reaching out not only to the urban but also to the rural areas. Rural areas don’t have the habit of washing hands regularly which becomes a home to various bacteria. With increased awareness through campaigns and the marketing strategies of top players, they are also on the path of using hygiene products in large numbers. On the other hand, urban markets are going premium and experimenting new innovative products available in the market.
Manufacturers play an important role for the promotion of healthy hand washing habits. The factors like outrage of diseases, various hygiene campaigns and health and wellness of kids are the prime focus of the manufacturers to grab the attention of the consumers. For example, RB India launched its initiative 'Dettol - Banega Swachh India' with an ambition to address the call for improvement in hygiene and sanitation in India. The catchy jingle 'Dettol Dettol Ho' has grabbed the attention of kids whereas the 'Maa Maane Dettol Ka Dhula' relates to the lady of house. HUL is also actively promoting its products through the catchy jingle 'Tandurasti KI Raksha Karta Hai Lifebouy, Lifebouy Hai Jahan Tandurasti Hai Wahaan'. Its recent rural hygiene programme, 'Khushiyon Ki Doli' promotes the practice of using soap for hand wash to reduce diarrheal deaths among kids at a very young age, grabbing the attention of media with the tagline of 'Help a Child Reach 5'.

Major companies operating in the hand hygiene market of India are Reckitt Benckiser (India) Limited, Hindustan Unilever Limited, Colgate Palmolive (India) Limited, Godrej Consumer Products Limited and Dabur India Limited.