The landscape of sexual wellness is undergoing significant transformation as it moves beyond protection and pleasure, becoming an integral part of consumers’ well-being routines. Consumers are recognizing intimate wellness’s impact on overall health, with studies showing stark connections between sexual and mental, heart and even brain health, reiterating that sexual wellness has a place in wider health conversations.
Sexual health has been a growing category for the better part of a decade, but is its momentum fading? Despite increasing investment, the sexual wellness space still faces significant challenges—shifting stagnant consumer behavior and advertising censorship among them. The market remains stable at over $2.3bn in 2024 and is projected to expand another 8% through 2029 as retailers and brands continue to invest in the category, with trends like hormone and fertility health expected to play a major role in innovation and engagement.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Market size, forecast and segment performance of the US sexual wellness market
- Sexual wellness product usage
- Understanding the current level of sexual activity and category participation
- Purchase factors for sexual wellness products
- Attitudes toward shopping for sexual wellness products
- Attitudes toward sexual wellness
- Understanding consumers’ knowledge of sexual wellness topics and needs
Market struggles will be short-lived as sexual wellness attracts consumers alongside the rise of self-care, body positivity, and sexual empowerment.
Rebecca Watters, Associate Director, Household & Health
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel defines the OTC (over the counter) contraceptives and sexual health market as follows:
- External condoms, spermicides, emergency contractive (“morning-after”) pills, internal condoms
- Personal lubricants.
- Pregnancy test kits – includes digital tests, stick tests, and cassette pregnancy test kits used to detect the hCG hormone in urine
- Ovulation test kits – at home test stick kits that test for a LH surge in urine
The market size only covers OTC purchases, so products provided for free, such as condoms given out at a healthcare clinic or pregnancy tests given by a healthcare professional are not included.
Other methods of contraception, such as sterilization (tubal ligation, vasectomy), prescription hormonal contraceptives (pill, patch, injection, implant, contraceptive ring), diaphragm, IUD, etc, may be discussed in this Report, but are not included in the market size.
The pregnancy and ovulation test kit market only covers at home urine tests. Blood tests are not included nor are fertility monitoring devices.
Supplemental brand data on sexual enhancement devices (eg personal massagers, vibrators) are included in this Report, but are excluded from the market size.
Collapse All
-
Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
- Market opportunities
-
Market Dynamics
- Market context
- Ongoing censorship is being challenged
- Condoms linked to ‘forever chemicals’
- Conversation around hormonal birth control evolves
- Male birth control research could impact condom segment
- Educate around the new idea of sexual activity for young adults
- Graph 1: current sexual activity, among adults aged 18-24, 2021-24
- Delays in pregnancy can bring sexual wellness into fertility health
- Graph 2: pregnancy status, by age, 2024
- Market drivers
- Demographic and cultural shifts present specialized opportunities
- Graph 3: marital status – never married, by age, 2021
- Graph 4: population aged 18 or older, by age, 2023-28
- Fallout of reproductive justice will bring ethical considerations to light
- Market size and forecast
- Sexual wellness still buzzing, yet sales calming
- Retail sales and forecast of sexual wellness products
- Market segmentation
- Retail sales of sexual wellness products, by segment
- Graph 5: total retail sales and forecast of sexual wellness products, by segment, at current prices, 2019-29
- Retail sales of sexual wellness products, by segment
- Retail sales of contraceptives, at current prices
- Retail sales of personal lubricants, at current prices
- Retail sales of pregnancy and ovulation tests, at current prices
- Market share/brand share
- Sales of contraceptives and sexual health products, by company
- Private label performs well in a slow market
- Sales of contraceptives, by company
- Condoms can go beyond pleasure claims
- Sales of personal lubricants, by company
- Sales of pregnancy and ovulation tests, by company
-
Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Product usage
- Usage trend echoes discretionary perspectives
- Graph 6: sexual wellness product usage, trended, 2023-24
- Reframing of fertility will be the latest sexual wellness boom
- Build value by supporting conception
- Optimize offerings for singles
- Graph 7: usage of select sexual wellness products, by gender and marital status, 2024
- Bring greater inclusivity into the space
- Graph 8: usage of select sexual wellness products, by race and Hispanic origin, 2024
- Expand the idea of diversity beyond traditional perceptions and ideals
- Sexual health activities
- Pleasure continues to drive sexual activity
- Graph 9: sexual activity, 2024
- Declining engagement could be addressed with education
- Graph 10: select sexual health activities, by generation, 2024
- Target age-related issues to increase relevance
- Shift the narrative around sex away from pleasing others
- Graph 11: select sexual health activities, by marital status, 2024
- Purchase factors for sexual wellness products
- Brands must establish trust
- Graph 12: purchase factors for sexual wellness products, 2024
- Reduce environmental impact of single-use segments
- Excite the lubricant segment with ingredient innovation
- Highlight skincare ingredients for premiumization
- Highlight certifications to capture younger shoppers
- Establish partnerships with sexual wellness advocates
- Attitudes toward shopping for sexual wellness products
- Discretion in sexual health will remain paramount to brand success
- Graph 13: attitudes toward shopping for sexual wellness products, 2024
- Evolve the brand experience
- Do some soul searching to connect with younger audience
- Graph 14: select attitudes toward shopping for sexual wellness products, by age, 2024
- Attitudes toward sexual wellness
- Empower consumers by providing privacy
- Graph 15: attitudes toward sexual wellness, 2024
- Position your brand as a source of stability and empowerment
- Graph 16: select attitudes toward sexual wellness, by generation, 2024
- Notes from emerging players to legacy brands: stay consistent and authentic
- Graph 17: attitudes towards authenticity in sexual wellness, by gender and generation, 2024
- Be a brand that listens and meets younger consumers where they are
- Celebrate celibacy
- Blur the lines between self-pleasure and self-care
- Sexual wellness knowledge
- Knowledge of sexual health present, but limited
- Graph 18: knowledge of sexual health, 2024
- Shift from hedonism to health
- Fill the knowledge gaps
- Hormone health will be a key area for sexual wellness brands
- Graph 19: knowledge of how sexual wellness changes before, during, and after major life changes, by gender and generation, 2024
-
Innovation and Marketing strategies
- Launch activity and innovation
- Mergers and acquisitions across the market
- Explore formats and textures to inspire usage
-
Appendix
- Market definition
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast fan chart methodology
- Retail sales and forecast of sexual wellness products, at inflation-adjusted prices
- Retail sales and forecast of contraceptives, at inflation-adjusted prices
- Retail sales and forecast of personal lubricants, at inflation-adjusted prices
- Retail sales and forecast of pregnancy and ovulation tests, at inflation-adjusted prices
- Retail sales of sexual wellness products, by channel
Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
- Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
- Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
- Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
- Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.
What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
The Four Pillars of Our Research
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
- Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
- Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
- Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
- Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.
Bringing It All Together
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
£ 3,695 (Excl.Tax)
-
Download today with instant access
Pay via credit card or invoice (net 30 payment terms)
-
Multiple formats provided
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
-
Interactive databook included
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook available on our platform
-
Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports
Discount automatically applied in basket
Next Starts Here
Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.
Learn moreTrusted by global industry leaders
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.
They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.
Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group
We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.
As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.
We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.
Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink
When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.
They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.
So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.
Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
Next Starts Here
Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.
Learn more
