“I never imagined that the war in the Middle East would ultimately hurt my wallet.”

This online joke perfectly captures the pain point of countless women.

Recently, the hashtag #SanitaryNapkinsMayHiddenPriceHikeThroughReducedQuantityWithoutRaisingPrices#

has surged to the top of trending topics, sparking heated discussions across the internet—

This monthly necessity has quietly unleashed a hidden price-hike game.

Contacting customer service on shopping apps yields a remarkably consistent response from numerous brands:

“We haven’t received any price change notifications,” adding, “Please refer to the real-time price on the product details page.”

However, shifting the focus to the upstream supply chain reveals a breathtaking picture of price increases.

The core raw materials for sanitary napkins, hot melt adhesive, and SAP (superabsorbent polymer),

have both seen price increases exceeding 50%, non-woven fabrics over 10%, and auxiliary materials

such as breathable membranes and printed bags have also risen in price.

And this “mild” increase seems insignificant compared to the doubling of raw material costs.

Ultimately, this all stems from the surge in oil prices triggered by geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East.

The core raw materials for sanitary napkins are all derived from petrochemicals,

and the pressure of rising oil prices is quietly being transmitted to end consumers along the supply chain.

Upstream prices are skyrocketing, so why are end consumers hesitant to raise prices?

Behind this lies a brutal market game. Shenwan Hongyuan expert Gui Haoming previously analyzed that

the domestic sanitary napkin market remains a buyer’s market, with ample supply and fierce competition.

“Whoever raises prices first dies first.” As a high-frequency, essential product, sanitary napkins are highly price-sensitive for consumers.

A price increase of 50 cents for a product on the same shelf could result in the loss of a large number of customers.

It’s not that companies can’t absorb the costs. Raw material costs only account for a portion of the final price.

The rest includes channel, marketing, and warehousing expenses. However, with hot melt adhesive and SAP prices rising by over 50%,

the limits of squeezing profits and optimizing the supply chain have been pushed close. Therefore,

“reducing quantity without increasing price” has become the industry’s tacit, unspoken practice.

Shortening the 240mm padding to 235mm, reducing the size of packs from 10 to 8, thinning the cotton layers, and shrinking the wings…

these seemingly minor changes, while insignificant individually, accumulate to save companies substantial costs.

Consumers are unlikely to notice immediately, yet companies quietly pass on these costs, eroding consumers’ right to know and choose.

Even more alarming is that mainstream brands typically have gross profit margins of 55%-63%,

far exceeding the average for fast-moving consumer goods, making it easy for them to absorb 3%-8% cost pressures.

What’s even more disheartening is that this hidden price increase may only be the beginning.

Experts predict that it will take 2-3 months for raw material price increases to reach consumers.

Currently, brands are relying on inventory and scale to weather the storm. By Q2 and Q3,

when high-priced raw materials enter the production process, the question of whether to raise prices will no longer be a choice.

If cost pressures continue to increase, in addition to reducing quantity, companies may also compromise on raw material quality,

using cheaper adhesives and thinner cotton—changes that are even harder for consumers to detect.

A seemingly minor price hike in sanitary napkins reveals the industry’s survival difficulties and puts brands to the test.