Huge gaps in sanitary pad absorption speeds, over half poorly labelled: survey

Disposable sanitary pads sold in Hong Kong show wide discrepancies in absorption speed, with more than half of tested products also lacking adequate labelling, the consumer watchdog has found.

The Consumer Council on Monday revealed the results of a survey of 36 winged sanitary towels, in which one sample took 73 seconds to fully absorb simulated menstrual blood – exceeding the mainland China national standard recommendation of no more than 60 seconds.

“The council calls on suppliers to strengthen quality management and conduct regular testing to ensure product hygiene and safety, while improving product labelling so consumers can make informed choices,” it said.

The samples were purchased from personal care stores, supermarkets and online platforms, with prices ranging from HK$1 to HK$5.60 (12 US cents to 71 US cents) per piece.

The tests were conducted in accordance with the national standard for sanitary absorbent pads and examined deviations between the actual and stated values for length, weight, absorption speed, adhesive peel strength, moisture content, chemical balance and the presence of hidden preservatives.

After grouping the products into four categories by length, the watchdog added 5ml of synthetic fluid simulating menstrual blood to each sample, recorded the time required for complete absorption and calculated the average absorption speed based on five pieces per model.