Ministry of Food and Drug Safety reports 3.1492 trillion won hygiene-products market

South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said the hygiene-products market rose 9.7 percent in 2025 to 3.1492 trillion won, driven by newly included categories and higher supplies of adult diapers.

Domestic production represented 2.532 trillion won, or 80.4 percent of the market, while imports totaled 617.2 billion won, according to the ministry's release. Toilet paper led domestic production at 1.0111 trillion won, or 39.9 percent, and the five largest categories made up about 86 percent.

Oral-care products and tattoo inks joined the hygiene-products group during the year, contributing 80 billion won and 900 million won, respectively, to domestic production. Together, the additions accounted for 3.2 percent of domestic production, and existing products still rose by 147.6 billion won from a year earlier.

Adult-diaper supply, including underpads, increased about 6 percent from a year earlier to 61,418 tons, exceeding children's diaper supply by 7,417 tons. The ministry said Korea's growing population aged 65 or older, which reached 20.3 percent in 2025, influenced the higher supply of adult diapers.

Production of wet wipes and dry wipes for later use with water at food-service businesses rose about 19 percent to 67.5 billion won. Reusable sanitary-towel production, meanwhile, declined about 12 percent to 7.5 billion won, reflecting consumers' increasing preference for convenient disposable wipes, the ministry said.

The number of businesses processing reusable sanitary towels fell from 235 in 2021 to 173 in 2025, alongside the shift toward disposable products. Other domestic production categories rose, with disposable towels up 16.9 percent, disposable cups 13.4 percent, toilet paper 7.0 percent and disposable diapers 5.4 percent.

The industry comprised 1,455 hygiene-product manufacturers and 22,832 employees in 2025, increases of 112 companies and 2,308 workers from a year earlier. The ministry said it would support the growing market and work to create conditions for consumers to use hygiene products safely.