‘Menstruation is a big part of women's everyday life, and a majority of that time is spent at work. We invest in product innovations within femtech and wanted to find out how women experience having their period at the workplace’, says Susanne Ehnbåge, CEO at Lindex.
The survey that Lindex has done together with Demoskop shows that menstruation poses a challenge in Swedish workplaces. Of the more than 4,000 women surveyed, as many as 56 percent state that having a period at work is stressful and 28 percent have felt limited in their professional role because of the period. One in three, 34 percent, also state that it has been problematic to change menstrual protection at work and the main reason is the lack of opportunity to leave their work duties. Almost half, 44 percent, also state that they have at some point bled through their menstrual protection at their current workplace.
The background of the survey is Lindex's investment and business development within femtech based on Lindex's unique underwear expertise and higher purpose - to empower and inspire women. The new brand Female Engineering develops innovative and sustainable products to meet women’s needs through all phases of life. The ground-breaking products are developed based on several years of research and development work together with scientists, textile engineers and product and material innovators, and the first released product is a period panty.
‘In 200 years, three innovations in menstrual protection have reached the broad market, the pad, the tampon and the menstrual cup. It shows that women's health and needs have not been prioritised, but today major investments in femtech are changing this and where the period panty is a real “game changer” which is also sustainable’, says Solgun Drevik, pioneer in femtech and responsible for research & development for Female Engineering.
More results from the survey
• 30 percent of Swedish women have felt uncomfortable when they have their period at work
• 40 percent think it is uncomfortable to expose menstrual protection at the workplace
• 88 percent have employers that do not provide free menstrual protection at the workplace
About the survey
The survey has been carried out using web interviews in the target group women between 18–60 years of age. 4,187 interviews have been conducted and the result has been weighted with regard to age and geography in order to best correspond to the target group. Field period for the survey was 20 June – 8 August 2022.
For more information, please contact:
Kristina Hermansson
Senior PR & Communications Manager
Phone: +46 (0)31 739 50 70
E-mail: press@lindex.com