India is toying with sexual wellness more than ever

By Devika Chowdhary
14 February, 2022

India is toying with sexual wellness more than ever

By Devika Chowdhary
14 February, 2022

A handful of sellers but a burgeoning target audience signal the potential of the personal intimacy market

In just six months during the lockdown in 2020, the Sangya Project organically accumulated more than 2,500 customers. An Instagram account for sexual education quickly evolved into a thriving digital store, retailing queer adult intimacy products at an average price of ₹2,500. With over 18,000 followers, the Sangya Project is indicative of the potential in the personal intimacy space.“The pleasure products came in about six months [after launch] when we realised we needed to monetise our platform to keep writing and posting free material,” says Aashish Mehrotra, co-founder of the Sangya Project. “What started as us reviewing a few products to help our readers choose products for themselves more wisely soon turned into realising what kind of products we would be happy to sell ourselves and make available to Indian consumers.”Not coincidentally then, a survey conducted by one of the oldest and most successful players in the sexual wellness industry, ThatsPersonal.com—founded in 2013—reported a 65 per cent rise in the online sale of sex toys after the COVID-19 induced lockdowns in 2020. The survey— ‘India Uncovered: Insightful Analysis of Sex Products’ —also revealed other findings, such as the fact that women over 45 in India are the most loyal customers of the website.

The Indian sex toy market is growing: in 2020 it was valued at $81.34 million. Image: Getty

There’s something for everyone, budget and kink notwithstanding. Image: Getty

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