A presenter displays Pigeon Anti-Mosquito Wipes, a product aimed at offering a safer alternative to current mosquito repellents.

Pigeon Anti-Mosquito Baby Wipes are soaked in a mosquito repellent that is free of Diethyl-tolumide (Deet), which is too strong for use on children. Pigeon's solution will offer protection from mosquitos for over six hours, according to the company.

Niramai Laksananant, vice-president of marketing and sales at Moong Pattana Marketing Co Ltd, said that the market for baby wipes had seen heavy competition recently following the entry of new players.

"The situation prompted the company to carefully select a suitable strategy to keep up the challenge," said Niramai, adding that he thought the new anti-mosquito wipes would suit the lifestyles of modern consumers in Thailand. Niramai said the product would be targeted at health-conscious mothers aged between 28 and 35.

"We found that almost 91 per cent of new mums would pay more for better quality products and 95 per cent were brand switchers," he said.

The company plans to launch a similar product intended for use by teenagers and adults in the middle of next year. It expects around 30 per cent of its anti-mosquito-product sales next year to be to adults buying the repellents for themselves.

Niramai said that the market for baby-wipe products was worth more than Bt60 million in the first half of this year, up 20 per cent on the same period last year. Pigeon was the market leader, with its wipes accounting for 50 per cent of all wipes sold. The company expects sales of its baby wipes to reach Bt70 million this year and Bt90 million next year.

"As part of our marketing plan to expand our customer base and reach out to new markets, the company will focus on highlighting product differences in order to gain a competitive advantage through increased product variety. Quality and functionality of our products will be key to helping the firm reach out more effectively to modern consumers," he said.

A survey commissioned by the company found that the market for mosquito repellents, including lotions, gels, powders, sprays and burning coils, was worth more than Bt2 billion last year. The Kor Yor 15 brand dominates the market, commanding a share of almost 70 per cent.

However, most repellents contain Deet, which can be harmful if swallowed or used in large doses.

"This is indeed a good market opportunity for Moong Pattana to import the latest product innovation suitable for use with babies. The Deet-free ingredients make the product suitable not only for children but also for adults, offering an alternative to the existing mosquito repellent market," said Niramai.

He added that this would be the first time Pigeon had sold its baby-wipes through chain stores like 7-Eleven.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation