Concealment and Consumption: Rethinking Menstrual Products Through Social Marketing
Nidhi Bhatia, Biswajita ParidaBackground
Menstrual product use is a routine part of women’s lives, yet it continues to be shaped by silence, stigma, and affordability pressures. Much of the existing literature treats menstruation primarily as a question of hygiene and access, health inclination and adolescent focussed. However, the deeper cultural meanings and social expectations that influence everyday behaviour is under explored. As a result, important aspects of how women choose, use, and dispose of menstrual products remain insufficiently understood, particularly in Indian contexts where norms of privacy and moral regulation are strong.
Focus of the Article
This study approaches menstruation not only as a health issue but as a consumer and social marketing concern. It examines how cultural taboos and social norms shape women’s product choices, willingness to explore with alternatives, and disposal practices, while also identifying how these patterns can inform more meaningful and context-sensitive interventions.
Research Question
How do cultural taboos and social norms influence women’s menstrual product choices, experimentation with alternatives, and disposal practices, and how can these insights inform social marketing strategies aimed at normalisation, dignity, and equity?
Importance to the Social Marketing Field
This study highlights why showing that access alone does not translate into adoption when cultural meanings and social expectations remain unaddressed. By bringing attention to stigma as a force that quietly regulates consumption, the research offers a more grounded understanding of why certain interventions fail and how social marketing efforts can be better designed.
Method
An interpretive qualitative approach was implemented to understand and data were collected through twenty-five in-depth interviews with women aged 18–45, including students, working professionals, and homemakers in India. To validate insights, a focus group discussion was conducted with experts such as gynaecologists, an NGO representative, and a menstrual product specialist and policy makers. This allowed for triangulation and helped connect lived experiences with broader validation and policy insights. The data were analysed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s approach, supported by reflexive note-taking and comparisons across participant groups.
Results
Five interrelated themes emerged: silence as negative socialisation, affordability as moral economy, stigma as informal market regulation, experimentation as identity risk, and disposal as the afterlife of taboo. Together, these themes illustrate a cyclical process through which stigma restricts choice, discourages experimentation, and complicates sustainable practices.
Recommendations for Research and Practice
The findings suggest the at the downstream level, campaigns should move beyond awareness and actively normalise open conversation, presenting menstrual products as everyday essentials. However, midstream efforts can involve all stakeholders and families in both education, workplace and distribution, with a stronger emphasis on shared responsibility. At the upstream level, policy measures should address affordability through subsidies, ensure access to safe and dignified disposal systems, and integrate menstrual health into public infrastructure. Framing affordability as a matter of equity and disposal as a matter of dignity may help shift both perception and practice.
Limitations
The study is based on a qualitative sample within the Indian context, which may limit the direct transferability of findings to other settings. Additionally, the study focuses on women’s perspectives; future research could incorporate insights from retailers, policymakers, and male stakeholders to build a more comprehensive understanding.