MARKET CASE STUDY: GLOBAL DATA COLLECTION

Utilizing online research method to measure attitudes towards menstrual products in Africa and Latin America

How can multi-country survey be used in analyzing the attitudes and behaviors of people from various cultural backgrounds?

Project background:

In the past decade, we have seen a growing momentum in addressing issues related to menstruation, such as accessibility of menstrual products and poverty associated with it. We now observe several government-level initiatives around the world aiming at eliminating taxes on period items, creating awareness on the importance of sanitary products, as well as confronting challenges experienced by girls during their menses in low- and middle-income countries. For example, the Chilean Lower House has recently passed a bill that provides individuals with the capacity for menstruation the right to have menstrual management in a dignified, free of charge way. Concurrently, other African countries including Kenya and South Africa have reviewed taxes on hygiene products, with Nigeria removing VAT from hygiene items manufactured domestically. These initiatives are extremely important to create greater menstrual equity, which is crucial for breaking down barriers associated with periods and fostering an inclusive environment for all people.

Access to affordable and safe menstrual hygiene products is not just a privilege, but a fundamental right of every woman. In an effort to combat period poverty and make menstrual products attainable for women and girls, a Client approached our team to achieve a deeper comprehension of the target markets and the possibility of entering them in African and Latin American countries.

Challenges:

Doing cross-national research has its own unique set of difficulties that are not seen in domestic research such as language differences, cultural boundaries, geographical remoteness, and the adversity of being an outsider. These tribulations are especially evident in Africa - a colossal and diverse continent that is home to dozens of different countries, cultures, and languages. With its varied population, businesses may have difficulty understanding the whole market. Furthermore, the relatively low number of urban towns across the continent is another issue here, as businesses may be unable to reach out to customers due to limited access. As such, any attempt to conduct market research in African nations will likely find many obstacles ranging from the lack of harmony between different language groups to isolated populations that may not be interested in new products or services. Also, doing market research in Chile can be a difficult and time-consuming process due to its population size. With only 19 million people, it is one of the smallest countries in Latin America, which can make it difficult to collect survey data with a large enough sample size that allows generalisations to the wider popultion.

Solution

It is essential to invest effort in investigating and familiarizing oneself with the behaviors, customs, and ethics of a region or community prior to engaging or recruiting more panelists in Africa. This enables adapting to their surroundings, sharpening communication techniques which are suited for the respective target audience. Moreover, it helps build authenticity which increases trust and motivation for more panelists to join. For countries with small population, in order for market research to be successfully conducted there, we have to be creative in finding and optimizing different sampling methods.

Methodology:

  • Study type: Usage and Attitude (U&A) Study
  • Surveyed Countries: Chile, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, South Africa, Kenya
  • Research method: CAWI – Computer Assisted Web Interview
  • Total Sample: N=200 per country

Target Audience:

  • Females who are currently active sanitary pad users
  • Age 16 – 40 y.o.

Outcome:

This project was successfully delivered within two weeks for all six countries - an impressive feat given the difficulties encountered. The team worked diligently to ensure tight deadlines were met and deliverables completed to satisfaction. The tireless effort from all involved enabled smooth integration of the project at every stage, leading to a successful outcome.

The comprehensive approach used in this study has been instrumental in accurately understanding the end-user experience for these products and painting a holistic picture of this market segment across 6 countries in 2 continents. The insights gleaned from this research presents decision makers with invaluable data, acting as a foundation from which they could generate more ideas to respond to the ever increasing demand of consumers.

As the leading online data collection agency, TGM Research conducted multiple market research projects in Africa and Latin America. To learn more about our other projects and expertise, please contact us.

We hope you have found this short case study useful.

If you have any further questions about how best to set up your online research study in Africa, Latin America or other regions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

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TGM Research FZE

A2-102B Building no. A2, Al Hamra Industrial Zone-FZ, Ras al-Khaimah 1005, United Arab Emirates

3rd floor, 100 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

ul. Długa 29/226, 00-238 Warszawa, Poland

We are living in the digital world with new opportunities for the market research. Join the mobile journey. TGM Research specializes in mobile market research and online panels.

© 2022 TGM Research FZE