The markets of feminine hygiene, female grooming, and sexual wellness (currently pegged at 6,000 crores) are expected to cross 14,000 crores in the next five years. And Pee Safe, one of the leading players in these categories, is well-placed to use this opportunity, thanks to its business model and innovative approach to product development and marketing-messaging.
An Exciting Start
“Pee Safe started off in 2013 by resolving one of the biggest concerns that women had, that of contracting urinary tract infection (UTI) from the use of unhygienic toilet seats in public washrooms,” shares Vikas Bagaria, Founder, Pee Safe. The brand was envisioned after Bagaria realised the hazards of women not having access to clean public toilets through his wife’s dreadful experience on a trip. He became determined to find a solution that could contribute at a societal level. And so Pee Safe was born, followed by a journey of thorough research and development that led to the launch of the brand’s flagship product: a toilet seat sanitizer spray.
A one-of-a-kind sanitizer for toilet seats, Pee Safe’s toilet seat sanitizer spray was the first to enter the market. “Despite having a first-mover advantage, we thought toilet hygiene was still a long way off from being a priority for people,” adds Bagaria. Fortunately, the reviews that came in for the first few samples of the toilet seat sanitizer spray were overwhelmingly positive, as users realised that the product gave them the freedom to travel or work anywhere without worrying about access to hygienic toilets. Little wonder that by October 2015, Pee Safe had already sold more than 50,000 units of its toilet seat sanitizer spray; the figure stands at a little over three million today. And the brand is retailing its products across 20+ countries today.
Over the years, Pee Safe expanded its portfolio to include more than 50 innovative products for men and women, addressing multiple pain points in the hygiene, wellness and intimate care categories. “Our brand began with the purpose to help women lead a life free from UTIs and other toilet-borne infections. As we grew in the toilet hygiene category, we realised there was a need to facilitate sustainable menstrual hygiene practices,” says Bagaria. One of Pee Safe’s most innovative products in the menstrual hygiene category is its feminine cramp relief roll-on. It enables women to alleviate their pain or discomfort during periods and is an easy and convenient alternative to hot water bottles and heating pads.
Along the Way
Pee Safe is one of those rare brands that focus first on customer centricity and then on making sales. “We saw that female hygiene, personal hygiene and male hygiene were being neglected as there were taboos around them. As a brand wanting to succeed in these categories, we needed to first educate the audience about the importance of everyday hygiene and then focus on selling,” explains Bagaria. Even though consumer education was a challenge, Pee Safe persisted in its objective to create awareness and bring discussions around hygiene to the forefront. The brand has initiated impactful, bold, and straightforward dialogues through digital media and influencer marketing, and has even run massive awareness campaigns (such as #HerPwr, #OwnTheRed, #TakeCareMaa, #PassTheCup, and #BeLead) on various social media platforms. To further bring a positive change in people’s attitudes towards personal hygiene, Pee Safe relies on customer touch points including email marketing, telecalling, and print and performance marketing.
Looking to the Future
Globally, Pee Safe continues to be the leading player in the toilet seat sanitizer category with a market share of over 90%. In all other sub-categories of feminine hygiene, the brand ranks in the top five. Its constant innovations in period care products have made it the largest sustainable feminine hygiene brand. Pee Safe is now gradually moving towards profitability and expects to deliver an EBITDA in the range of 15- 20% by FY25. The brand’s goal for the near future is to work closely with leading courier companies to achieve one-day deliveries pan-India.
This article first appeared in IMAGES Group’s The India D2C Yearbook 2022.
Complied by Anurima Das
