China is poised to pass one of the great but discreetly discussed demographic inflection points, as nappy producers start prioritising the rising army of active seniors over dwindling ranks of infants.
The expected crossover, which affects marketing and manufacturing investments for some of the world’s biggest consumer products groups, comes as forecasts predict that China’s population of people older than 65 will hit 365m by 2050 — equivalent to the world’s fifth-largest country.
Nappy producers, analysts and investors have said that the Chinese market for adult diapers could exceed infant products by 2025, underscoring the swift pace of the demographic and societal transition.