Half of Hong Kong Sanitary Pads Fail Quality Checks, Watchdog Finds

Hong Kong's consumer watchdog just did something most of us never think to do: it put 36 different sanitary pads under a stopwatch. The Consumer Council bought winged pads from personal care shops, supermarkets and online sellers, then dripped a fluid designed to mimic menstrual blood onto each one and timed how long it took to soak in. Pads ranged from about 12 US cents to 71 US cents per piece, so this is a product nearly everyone buys without much thought.

The results were uneven. One pad needed 73 seconds to fully absorb the liquid, which breaks the mainland Chinese national standard of 60 seconds or less. The council tested five pads per model to get an average, so this wasn't a one-off piece of bad luck. If you've ever stood in a bathroom wondering why a pad feels like it isn't working fast enough, this is the number behind that feeling.

Labelling was the bigger problem. More than half the products didn't properly state key details like length, weight, absorbency, or what they contain. The council also checked for misleading claims, how well the adhesive sticks, moisture content, chemical balance, and hidden preservatives. When the label says one thing and the pad does another, you have no way to compare brands or pick the right product for your body and your flow.

The council's ask is simple: companies should test regularly and print honest, complete labels. For shoppers, the practical takeaway is to treat packaging claims with a little suspicion and to try different brands rather than assuming price equals quality. Cheap pads weren't automatically the worst, and expensive ones weren't automatically the best. Until labels improve, the most reliable information you have is your own experience — and now, this public list of test results.