Industry Trends

Asia Pacific Protective Face Masks Market Share was valued at USD 746.9 million in 2019 and is expected to witness -9.4% CAGR from 2020 to 2026.

Protective face masks are an essential part of a healthcare provider’s attire. They maintain an aseptic barrier that prevents the transmission of pathogens between patient and surgeon. These masks are also used by the general public to avoid allergens and prevent respiratory illnesses in polluted air. Currently, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in demand for protective face masks.

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Various guidelines implemented by governments and health authorities is expected to drive the market expansion. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the Asia Pacific region, with more than 83,000 cases in China. Given the high population density, it is likely that the contagious disease could spread rapidly. Thus, local governments have mandated the use of protective face masks. Furthermore, guidelines by organizations such as the World Health Organization and Centre for Disease Control (CDC) have increased awareness regarding the protective benefits of these masks. This is expected to increase the product demand, driving the regional industry expansion.

The rising burden of chronic disease in the region has significantly increased the number of surgeries. Increasing adoption of unhealthy lifestyle choices such as lack of exercise, increasing preference for junk food and smoking have escalated the incidence of diabetes and heart disease in the region. This has heightened the burden of disease and augmented the demand for protective face masks due to increasing number of procedures and patients. Thus, growing number of surgeries in the region will boost the market expansion over the analysis timeframe.

 Asia Pacific Market, By Product

By product, the protective face masks market is segmented into procedure masks, surgical masks, N95 respirators, and face shields. Face shields segment is estimated to exceed USD 175 million by 2026. Use of face shields to prolong the usability of limited number of face masks will drive the market expansion. Furthermore, face shields add an extra layer of protection in conjunction with masks. This improved security offered by face shields will drive the demand, boosting the regional industry expansion.

Procedure masks are expected to dominate the market share with USD 310.0 million revenue in 2019. The simplicity of using a procedure mask increases the general public’s preference for procedure masks. Furthermore, the growing number of COVID-19 cases are expected to drive the demand for procedure masks. Additionally, surgeries are fewer than check-ups or exams, which increases the demand for procedure masks over surgical masks.

Asia Pacific Market, By Distribution Channel

The Asia Pacific protective face masks market by distribution channel is segmented into distributors, pharmacies, and e-commerce. Distributors held the largest share of 46% in 2019 and is expected to show significant growth in the future. Preference of healthcare organizations for distributors is high due to bulk-buying, wholesale prices and product variety. Growing demand from healthcare providers due to the COVID-19 pandemic will boost segment growth.

Asia Pacific Market, By End-use

The end-use segment includes hospitals & clinics, ambulatory surgical centres, long term care centres, research institutes, and individuals. The individual segment is expected to show more than 410% growth between 2019 and 2020. The growing demand for protective face masks from individuals due to rising COVID-19 cases will account for segment growth. An increasing awareness regarding benefits of protective masks, coupled with low product cost will drive the segment growth.

Asia Pacific Market, By Country

China protective face masks market is expected to reach USD 729.7 million by 2026. The country has had a high impact of COVID-19 with Wuhan being the epicentre. Therefore, it is expected that there will be an increased product demand in the local market due to government mandates. Furthermore, high population in the country coupled with low-cost mass manufacturing will be conducive to driving the adoption rate. Increased awareness regarding the benefits of masks in warding off the corona virus will drive the local industry expansion.

Competitive Market Share

Some of the major industry players involved in Asia Pacific protective face masks market include 3M, Honeywell, Fisher Scientific, BSN Medical, Dentsply Sirona, and Henry Schein. Market players are focusing on ramping up their production capacity in order to meet the growing demand for protective masks in the region. For instance, in February 2020, Foxconn announced that they will be manufacturing 2 million masks per day by the end of February. This will enable the firm to cater to the growing demand for face masks and increase revenue generation.

Industry Background

Protective face masks are used to prevent the transmission of infections or allergies by creating a barrier between the wearer and the air. Masks were first used in late 19^th century. These were strips of cotton or linen and worn by doctors. Now masks are made of non-woven polymer, usually polypropylene. Facemasks became ubiquitous in the region after the 20^th century, when Spanish flu killed between 20-40 million people in the region. Outbreaks such as the 2002 SARS and 2006 bird flu outbreak have made mask usage a norm in East Asia.