Karen Atias is the founder of the fizzz website (photo: FIZZZ PR)
In 2023, can it be said that the field of sexual wellness is considered inseparable from our progressive view of life as women and as people?
Some recent commercial moves suggest that the level of awareness of the issue and the level of openness between spouses has increased over the years, bringing what was once a taboo into the mainstream, even here in Israel.
The global sexual wellness market, which is currently valued at approximately $32 billion per year, has shown growth of 8% in the past year and industry executives predict that it may reach a value of $50 billion per year in 2028 - an additional increase of approximately 16% in the next 5 years .
The numbers indicate a significant development and growth of the market which, until recently, was only about rooms by the particularly brave, accompanied by feeling and embarrassment, whereas today it is about outside. "Toys for adults", which were sold only in private, small, dark and discreet stores, have moved to the illuminated shelves of the pharmacy chains, alongside shampoo, deodorant and diapers.
According to
Karen Atias, the founder and owner of the sexuality site FIZZZ
, we are already seeing a steady increase in the number of sex shops, both online and in physical stores, due to an 8-10 percent increase in the value of the Israeli market, which is estimated at tens of millions of shekels, in line with the growth of the market in the Western world.
It seems that the described growth is the one that led to reports recently published in Israel, about the entry of pharma and e-commerce chains into the field of sexual health, where the main activity is the marketing of accessories, preparations and means to improve sex life, but also an increasing number of groups on social networks, podcast activity, treatment activities and sexual counseling and more.
Atias adds and says that the growth we are witnessing in the field of sexual wellness is reflected in all layers of the population, young and old, in the big cities and in the suburbs, in the secular, but also ultra-Orthodox and Arab populations.
"We, the women of today - are not ashamed anymore."
Karen Atias, founder of the fizzz website (photo: FIZZZ PR)
About 80% believe that sexual satisfaction is important for their health
The Super Pharm chain, which reported this month on the addition of the category to the variety of products it markets, conducted a survey through the Geocartography Institute, from which the surprising data emerged according to which: 71% of Israelis feel comfortable talking about their
intimate preferences
and the overwhelming majority (77%) agree that sex and sexual satisfaction are important to their mental health .
In addition,
a quarter of Israelis state that sex accessories have significantly improved their sex life
and about 30% of Israelis use sex accessories on a weekly basis.
It seems that sexual accessories are not foreign to Israelis.
In fact,
a third of Israelis have experimented with sex accessories in the past, and one in five Israelis owns at least one sex accessory
.
The management of the Super Pharm chain said
: In recent years, we have seen the sexual wellness category gain a platform in the biggest beauty chains and department stores in the world, from the Sephora chain to Walgreens, Bloomingdales and more.
This field made a significant jump during the outbreak of the Corona virus, when the public was confined to their homes, and online sales soared." "
In addition, we see that in recent years there has also been a change in the way television treats the issue.
If once, in the 90s, the subject was taboo, and was presented in a series such as 'Sex and the City' which was considered groundbreaking, in recent years streaming giants such as Netflix have already treated the category as commonplace with series such as Girls, Making Headlines or Fleabag, in scenes that change the discourse to the public".
"We see great importance in its offer to customers and in the possibility of convenient purchase of products both from a branch close to home or discreetly and easily from the chain's website. Today, the field of sexual wellness is not only the domain of small shelter stores, but is displayed in the largest pharmaceutical chains in the world and now also in supermarkets Pharm".
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The accessories are coming out of the drawer and onto the shelves: Super Pharm is launching the sexual wellness category (Photo: PR)
In accordance with the demand from the local population
In the current era, when the leadership in Israel is considered particularly conservative, it seems that the developing trend towards consumption in the field of sexual health and the use of accessories accompanying the intimate experience, is not in line with the principles, values and agenda that is taking shape in the Knesset.
But at the same time, the level of awareness and demand among consumers in Israel for consumer products to improve the quality of life, maintain sexual health and upgrade sex life, is increasing and someone needs to make them available to them - just like condoms and lubricants that have been on the shelves for years.
"In the end, Super-Pharm is a pharmacy that offers a wide variety of products in accordance with the demand from the public in Israel. The network consists of franchisees and each franchisee has the independence to adjust the mix and variety in its branch according to the size of the store, and the demand from the local population."
"In any case, due to space constraints on the shelf, the large variety that includes about 1,000 items is online, and we believe that a significant share of the activity will come from there."
The sexual wellness category is coming to Super Pharm (Photo: Public Relations)
"How important it is to experience orgasms"
About the development of openness in everything related to sex, says
Liat Yakir, a biologist, specializing in genetics and hormone research, lecturing and researching the biology of emotions
.
From the author of the book A Brief History of Love: "Biology (neurons and hormones), which affects our emotions and sexual behavior, allows us to finally free ourselves from stigmas and psychological barriers when it comes to our sexuality and to normalize the discourse on sexual health, and on sexual drive among women."
"In an era of increasing stress, we all know how important it is to exercise, eat healthy and sleep well, the time has come for us to understand how important it is for the brain to experience orgasms. This is important for brain health - for regeneration, repairing damage, reducing stress, as well as improving sexual drive and sexual satisfaction."
A pop-up vibe from the sexual wellness category in the Super Pharm network (photo: Public Relations)
The curious young people and customers from the settlements
From the sales data of the Fizzz sexuality website, it can be seen that
the main consumers of the sexual wellness category
are consumers - the women, who make up 75% of the buyers
compared to 25% men.
The average age of the buyers on the site is around 45 years old
, with the broad range of buyers being between the ages of 35-55, and a significant presence is also recorded among the young people aged 22-25 who connect to the content offered by the site and demonstrate openness to new products and experiences.
In conclusion, there is an increase of tens of percent in sales compared to last year's sales, and the best selling products on the site are vibrators and accessories adapted for couple use.
"One of the interesting phenomena in our field is how diverse the customer mix is. The number of deliveries we make to Bnei Brak, Jerusalem (in the religious areas) and settlements - is impressive!".
According to Atias, a leader in her field who conducts fascinating workshops on the subject, the Corona period has intensified the need for solutions to the gaps that women experience and what motivates/supports/promotes them.
Something that motivated strong women to take the reins in their hands and stimulate the conversation - "We, the women of today - are not ashamed anymore".
biird evii - fizzz berry website - the accessories sold show design aesthetics, colors and creativity (photo: FIZZZ PR)
"Exposing the accessory will cause a crisis in the relationship"
Karin Arad, veteran sex toy reviewer and editor of the Shee channel at Walla!
She shares her experience and familiarity with the area: "I regret to inform the nation that not much has changed in the last decade in the level of openness of Israelis and Israelis regarding the use and purchase of vibrators."
"Even if there is openness on the part of the woman and she uses a toy on a regular basis to satisfy herself, as soon as a new man enters her life and bed, the vibrator will usually be hidden in one of the drawers, and will not come out of it until the relationship is established, and even then its exposure will probably cause a crisis in the relationship."
"What, I'm not enough?", "So far you haven't enjoyed it?"
And more stupid questions like these that reveal the sad truth, which is that to this day, despite all the knowledge we supposedly have gained in the field, Israelis still suffer from chronic puritanism, and an even more chronic unwillingness to understand a woman's sexuality."
"The more open couples", according to Arad, "are usually the adults, who have already passed the illusion of romantic comedy, and the need for diversity exceeds their fear of admitting that in all relationships sex life needs or will need external help".
"Women, are the main customers of this specific consumer sector, they are already more aware among themselves of the need, and the legitimacy of openly buying a sex accessory has increased - but they too often keep it to themselves, and with their partners they usually use "couple" toys. Why in quotation marks Because even the couple toys are toys that help the woman, while the man's pleasure is not harmed, but it is secondary, and the word "couple" is in the name of the toy mainly to mislead the minds of the users and to deal with the shame involved, unjustly.
Of money
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Tags
sex accessories
sex
intercourse
intimacy
Super Pharm
sexuality