StrataGist
Local Perspectives On National Trends (Southern Oregon)
Disposable Diaper Usage (May 2009)
As noted in Feed-back.com's blog article “Environmental Economics (Spring 2009): Diapering Options. . .” most parents in the United States prefer to use disposable diapers for the obvious reasons — convenience and time-savings. While consumers may be evaluating the environmental impact for some of their lifestyle choices, switching from disposable to reusable diapers doesn't appear to be a high priority. ["Can We Swap Our Pampers?" Wall Street Journal, February 2009.]
There are substantial barriers associated with reusable diapers, such as the high up-front purchasing cost (especially for green or organic ones). Another is the time commitment required for laundering. Arguments abound on both sides of the issue regarding the "best" choice. Proponents cite the environmental impact of disposables on landfills, while opponents suggest that cloth diapers use large amounts of energy and water. In the long run, reusable diapers may generate cost savings over disposables.[1]
There's ongoing debate that hasn't seemed to adversely affect disposable diaper demand yet. Some emergent trends are discussed below.
The U.S. Market
Despite declining birth rates in Europe and the United States, disposable diapers are the best-selling option. Statistics compiled and posted on the Mother Jones web site note that disposable diapers are used by 96% of American babies (The Diaper Industry Source).[2]
Historical estimates suggest that the global diaper market generated $22.2 billion in 2005 (Source: Euromonitor International).[3] At least one forecast expects revenues of $26.6 billion in 2010 (Source: Global Industry Analysts).[4] Extrapolating from regional market forecasts and other sources, Feed-back.com staff estimates that the total U.S. diaper market may have accounted for $5.2 billion in 2008. Green products (cloth diapers, chemical-free disposables, etc.) represent a small but growing portion of total sales.
The Rogue Valley Market (Southern Oregon)
Feed-back.com staff used a local resource network to develop a pool of survey candidates. Participants were asked to describe various aspects of their current diapering needs. Seven mothers participated, each of whom had one or more children between ten months and three years of age.
Four participants used disposable diapers exclusively. Convenience and less laundering were the primary reasons. These respondents estimated their monthly cost to be between $30 and $40, figures that are very low compared to historical estimates from 1999-2000 of $50 to $80 per month.[5] To explain the discrepancy, two obvious questions to ask would be:
- How often are these women changing the diapers?
- Are there health issues if diapers aren’t changed frequently enough?
One mother had switched from cloth diapers to disposables because stains couldn't be removed.
Three respondents used cloth diapers (alone or in conjunction with disposables) citing "less cost" and "less waste" as the primary reasons. All respondents were asked to rank the most important factors in choosing a diaper from the following options: Convenience, absorbency, non-chlorine, non-leak, laundering, environmental concern, organic, and recyclable. Among combined first and second answers, "non-leak" was the most important characteristic (36%), followed by absorbency (24%). One mother prioritized organic over all other factors. Environmental concern was the third most important criterion for two respondents.
None of the mothers used a diaper service. The price respondents would be willing to pay ranged from $13 to $21 per week. Among the participants who provided answers, annual income was between $30,000 and $45,000. The most surprising finding was that the majority of respondents would not use a laundry service themselves (2 out of 7) but would provide it as a gift for someone else (6 out of 7).
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[1] Diapering Decisions.
[2] "8 Lbs 21 Inches 3800 Diapers and 1525 Tons Carbon Sources", Mother Jones, May 5, 2008.
[3] "A Two-Prong Attack On The Global Diaper Market", Nonwovens Industry, January 2007.
[4] "Disposable Diaper Market To Reach $26.6 Billion By 2010", The Free Library and StrategyR.com.
[6] "Why Cloth?" The National Association of Diaper Services.
