Singapore Baby and Child Products
Singapore has a resident population of 5.45 million, with an average 32,900 citizen births. The low birth rate is attributed to a generational change in attitude towards marriage and singlehood. Late marriages, couples having fewer children and the pursuit of career aspirations as well as personal goals have contributed to a decline in birth rates despite the Singapore government’s pro-family policies. This national priority has seen the government introducing various support packages and social programs to help young couples start a family.
The silver lining is that parents’ educational levels and this affluence has translated to parents willingness to invest in their children. As such, there is demand for premium products for mothers, babies and children.
According to a forecast by Fitch Solutions Macro Research, household spending will return to positive growth this year (2021) at 6.4% year-on-year, signaling a return to normal spending patterns as the Covid-19 pandemic situation stabilizes. The Singapore Department of Statistics also estimated total retail sales valued in July 2021 at $2.1 billion, excluding motor vehicles. Retail sales grew by a marginal 0.2% in July 2021 on a year-on-year basis. Of this, online retail sales made up 16.2%. Popular commercial eCommerce sites in Singapore include Amazon, Lazada, Qoo10, Shopee, EZbuy and Taobao, and these sites have gained phenomenal traction as consumers pivot to online shopping.
Asian mothers typically observe a 30-44-day traditional confinement period to recuperate after delivery so there is a market for self-care products and services such as post-natal massages, confinement diet plans and menus, shapewear, skincare, hair-loss and slimming treatments. Trends today also show that there is interest in natural, organic products as consumers look to adopt more environmentally friendly, ‘green’ approaches.
Baby and children’s products that promote physical and mental development, provide enhanced comfort, convenience and multi-stage, functional products that grow with your child would be of interest. In land-scarce Singapore, with 80% of population living in compact, high-rise apartments, space-saving solutions and products would do well here. Examples include convertible highchairs, baby car seats, cribs, multifunctional activity tables & playmats, wireless in-bra breast pump, toys and baby feeding accessories. Products such as baby carriers, cots, strollers and toys should adhere to the Consumer Protection Regulations (CGSR), American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM) or the European Committee for Standardisation (EN).
Today’s moms-to-be are well connected, savvy digital natives who rely heavily on online “mummy influencers” and support groups for parenting tips. They attend baby fairs and research products extensively online. Complementing online promotion strategies, Singapore exhibition, Mummys Market launched its first physical store in November 2020 allowing mothers to test out products before purchasing. Retailers are constantly seeking novel and new ways to connect and improve customer satisfaction.
U.S. manufacturers and exporters of baby and child products who wish to explore these opportunities or partner with Singapore entities may contact Ms. Melody Yeo at the U.S. Commercial Service in Singapore.