Key Summary
- While 94 percent of women prioritize trust and clarity, only 33 percent believe current retail signposting is effective, leading to significant "under-conversion" across key health categories.
- Large gaps exist between perceived importance and actual purchase in categories like sleep support (59 percent vs 21 percent) and sexual wellbeing (41 percent vs 11 percent).
- GenM’s MTick accreditation is proving to be a major growth lever, with retailers seeing a 28 percent sales uplift within four weeks of implementation.
A study has revealed that while 94 percent of women say trust and clarity are essential when purchasing menopause-friendly products, and only 33 percent believe the current retail and brand signposting is clear.
GenM’s latest Inclusivity Report highlights that while menopause-related demand is surging across 11+ categories - including cognition, skincare, and pain relief - actual purchasing behaviour remains suppressed.
The report argues that low conversion rates are not driven by a lack of interest, but by a lack of clarity and education at the point of sale.
It highlights a menopause demand gap, a high-intent yet underserved shopper base representing 15.5 million UK women and billions in category spend.
The independent research was conducted among 3,000 women aged 35–65.
Purchasing behaviour reveals significant under-conversion in many categories. In sleep support, 59 percent said it is important, but only 21 percent have purchased it. In the case of hormonal treatment, 59 percent admitted importance yet only 21 percent made a purchase.
When it came to clothing for temperature regulation, 45 percent said it is important. However, only 14 percent have made a purchase. In the sexual wellness category, 41 percent said it is important, but only 11 percent made purchases. Finally, in dental products, 21 percent admitted importance and 5 percent made the purchase.
By contrast, supplements and vitamins are the only category where purchase aligns closely with perceived importance (50 percent vs 48 percent). The report concludes that low conversion is not driven by lack of demand, but by lack of clarity, education, and trusted signposting.
Clarity and Trust as Growth Levers
Navigation remains a major hurdle; 54 percent of women say products should be easier to find in-store, and 94 percent want products to be explicitly menopause-labelled. Trust is a decisive factor, with 80 percent valuing independent scientific proof and 50 percent more likely to trust a product carrying third-party certification.
This presents a clear growth opportunity for retailers and brands prepared to invest in structured menopause navigation.
Heather Jackson, Founder of GenM, said: “The menopause demand is already here. What’s missing is clarity. When retailers and brands make menopause visible, certified, and easy to navigate, women shop with confidence and basket value increases. The gap is not a consumer issue. It’s a retail execution opportunity.”
