The Power of Odour in Disposable Hygiene Products

Of the five senses, smell has the best memory, and many consumers of disposable hygiene products would be more than happy to forget about the smells and circumstances associated with the use of diapers, pads, shields and briefs. 

While a certain degree of odour is expected and accepted when products are in use, the smell of a product immediately upon opening can be unwelcome among consumers. As such, consumer complaints have increased in recent years, impacting satisfaction. 

Today’s manufacturers recognize the powerful role odour can play in purchasing decisions. Many are working with the odour experts at Bostik to gain a better understanding of odour perception.

The nose knows what it likes and what it doesn’t.

An individual’s sense of smell determines whether an odour is pleasant or unpleasant to them; this is also referred to as the hedonic tone. Because humans have more than 300 genes related to smell, people are unlikely to perceive odour in the same way. 

Beyond individual preferences, regional and cultural perceptions of odour also need to be taken into consideration. What may be perceived as offensive in one region or culture might be perfectly acceptable in another. 

While important to address odour, identifying the various contributors within a product, and successfully reducing or eliminating their potency is no small feat. Testing for odour can be just as complicated, as there are multiple ways to measure odour but no industry-recognized standard test methods. Bostik’s odour experts have found the most effective approach is to rely on proven best practices to help identify and eliminate product odour.

Now more than ever it is critical for manufacturers and their trusted partners, like Bostik, to meet consumer demands and improve satisfaction through ongoing odour research efforts and employing reliable odour test methods.