{
  "id": 14726787,
  "title": "Menopause is a biological transition that's become a lucrative consumer business",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/menopause-is-a-biological-transition-thats-become-a-lucrative",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-15T15:20:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-menopause-biological-transition-lucrative-consumer.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Menopause, once a private and taboo topic, has emerged as a significant commercial industry, with a market value of 535 billion euros ($600 billion). This transformation is driven by growing awareness and the proliferation of books, podcasts, documentaries, digital applications, food supplements, and coaching programs aimed at supporting women through this life stage. The evolution of menopause from a private concern to a public health issue reflects an important step forward, as more people are talking about the transition and recognizing its implications for public health.\n\nHowever, this heightened visibility is also accompanied by bold marketing strategies. As menopause becomes a consumer market, it raises questions about whether these products and services genuinely address women's needs or are designed to capitalize on their concerns and desire for better well-being. The book \"All Change! Marketing and Consuming the Menopause Transition\" explores this phenomenon, conceptualizing menopause as a niche market characterized by increasing climacteric market awareness and the gradual commercialization of the experience.\n\nResearch shows that menopause markets do not simply respond to existing needs but actively shape how menopause is understood, experienced, and managed. These markets influence perceptions of what constitutes a menopausal problem and determine which forms of care and consumption are deemed appropriate. This commodification process involves not only the expansion of menopause-related products and services but also the production of meanings, needs, and subjectivities associated with the transition.\n\nDemographic changes contribute to the economic interest in menopause, as women are living longer and spending more time in the postmenopausal stage. By 2030, it is estimated that over 1 billion women worldwide will be menopausal. Companies have identified this long-neglected consumer segment, leading to the development of various products, including dietary supplements, cosmetics, clothing designed to alleviate hot flashes, tracking apps, and wellness retreats. While many of these offerings have not been scientifically proven to be effective, they reflect the market's response to the growing demand for solutions to menopausal symptoms.\n\nThe shift in how menopause is represented goes beyond viewing it as a phase of aging; it is now portrayed as a period requiring specific solutions, support, and products. Brands market menopause as a challenge that can be managed through appropriate consumer choices. This evolution is characterized by the emergence of the \"responsible consumer,\" who is encouraged to take an active role in their health by seeking information, monitoring symptoms, and choosing products purported to enhance their quality of life.\n\nThis shift toward personal responsibility reflects broader trends in personal health management, where individuals are urged to take charge of their well-being through informed choices. While this approach can foster autonomy and a deeper understanding of the body, it also carries risks by shifting attention away from collective responsibilities toward personal ones. Menopause's visibility is significantly influenced by media and social networks, with public figures, journalists, and healthcare professionals playing crucial roles in bringing the issue to light. Documentaries, opinion pieces, and parliamentary reports have contributed to raising public awareness of menopause and its associated challenges.\n\nSocial networks have further amplified this movement, providing platforms for women to share experiences, exchange advice, and recommend solutions. Hashtags such as #Midlifewomen, #PerimenopauseProblems, #Breakthemenopausetaboo, and #MyHormonesAreDrunk have created communities where women can connect, reducing feelings of isolation. However, these online spaces also serve as marketing channels, with influencers, coaches, and companies promoting products to a receptive audience. The distinction between information, personal testimony, and advertising can become blurred, raising questions about the authenticity and reliability of the information disseminated.\n\nIn summary, the commercialization of menopause reflects both genuine needs for information and support and the opportunities presented by a growing market. While awareness and understanding of menopause are important, it is essential to critically evaluate the products and services marketed to women during this transition, ensuring that they are both effective and safe.",
  "summary": "Long relegated to the private sphere, menopause is now the focus of unprecedented attention both in the media and commercially, with a market value of 535 billion euros ($600 billion). The number of books, podcasts, documentaries, digital applications, food supplements and coaching programs is multiplying to support women in this stage of life. What was once a taboo subject has become a booming…",
  "key_points": [
    "Menopause market valued at 535 billion euros ($600 billion)",
    "Growing awareness drives commercialization of menopause",
    "Over 1 billion women expected to be menopausal by 2030"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}