LUNALIFE April 4th, 2017 | Page 19

Many women also do not purchase sanitary products, most because they cannot afford it, but also because they do not want to purchase them in the stores run by men. (The Economist, 2013) There is a nation wide taboo around menstruation and women’s feminine hygiene products. Many women in the bottom of the pyramid are not taking proper hygienic measures to manage their menstruation because of embarrassment or shame.

Many times, there are perpetuated values passed down from previous generations about menstruation including restrictions on living and eating with and/or cooking for the family, restrictions on visiting the temple, and using flowing sources of water such as rivers and streams (Geertz, 2016). It will be essential for any company entering the Indian sanitary pad industry to understand these taboos and work around offering women the valuable products they need without violating any cultural values.

Finally, consumers at the bottom of the pyramid value high touch buying process (Simanis, 2015). This indicates that consumers in the BoP enjoy having a sales-person guided buying experience and value the added benefit of having a representative to answer their questions and potentially try the product. It is time to stop thinking of the poor as victims or as a burden and start recognizing them as resilient and creative entrepreneurs and value-conscious consumers (Prahalad, 2008). Lunapads will be able to offer the BoP a valuable product that will benefit and deliver on all of their sanitary protection needs while respecting their values and providing the offering at a reasonable price.

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