Sales of men’s incontinence pads surge as experts flag gaps in care

Sales and production of incontinence pads for men have risen sharply in Denmark, but experts say the trend may indicate that some men are not seeking or receiving the right help, DR reports.

Manufacturer Abena has tripled its production of the products in four years, with output of its men’s range rising by 339 per cent. Supermarket group Salling Group reported an 80 per cent increase in sales from 2021 to 2025. Other supermarkets would not provide sales figures.

Charlotte Graugaard-Jensen, a senior doctor who leads the research unit at the urinary surgery department of Aarhus University Hospital, said some men may be managing their symptoms at home rather than being assessed by a doctor or hospital. Rie Seifert, a senior doctor in urinary surgery and deputy chair of the Continence Association, said men who buy pads in supermarkets have not received help, since they would otherwise have the products paid for.

Both doctors said the number of people contacting them had remained stable despite rising sales and production. Graugaard-Jensen said many men believe some urine leakage is a normal part of ageing, while embarrassment can make it difficult to discuss symptoms with a doctor. She said general practitioners should make patients aware of available help, and municipalities should establish effective continence clinics.

General practitioner Henriette Ry Lund Noesgaard said men often seek medical help late or do not contact a doctor at all. She said the problem may only come to light when a home-care nurse or a wife raises concerns.

There are no exact figures for how many people in Denmark experience incontinence. An estimate puts the number at 600,000, about a quarter of them men.