New standards for periodic protection systems

Panty liners, pads, tampons, panties, cups… The feminine hygiene market is evolving rapidly, driven by innovation and the urgent need to make menstrual protection accessible to all. This is a major market: 300 million women worldwide use menstrual protection every day. Over the course of her life, a woman uses an average of 15,000 of them, representing a total cost of 3,800 euros (Nielsen study, reported in LSA in March 2021).

AFNOR invites all players in the sector, from associations to French manufacturers, to take part in international standards work on the safety, accessibility and ecological impact of these products.. The appeal will be launched on May 12, 2022 at the French National Assembly.in the presence of Lætitia Romeiro-Dias, MP and co-rapporteur of the parliamentary report on menstruation.

Define good manufacturing and marketing practices

Categorized as consumer products, sanitary protection for women falls under the general safety obligation of the French Consumer Code. This code sets health and consumer information objectives, but does not address the issue of good manufacturing and marketing practices. Participants in the future voluntary standard will have the task of defining these good practices, setting shared minimum requirements for the safety and quality of menstrual products in their design and use.

The standard will address product safety issues, with design requirements for manufacturers with regard to chemical risks, and health requirements for users with regard to infectious risks and toxic shocks. All this is done to inform consumers about the conditions of use of these products, and with a strong social dimension, to promote access to these products for users from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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