How Value Brands Are Disrupting China's CN¥ 2.7B Moisturizing Tissue Market

Executive Summary

China's moisturizing tissue market reached CN¥ 2.7 billion in MAT2025, surging +24.8% YoY as the fastest-growing premium paper product category^[1]. However, the growth story masks a fundamental structural shift: volume growth of +81.2% dramatically outpaces value growth, driven by the entry of value brands Yipiao (+424.2%) and Congma (+2,967.5%) at price points below CN¥ 10 per unit. COROU (可心柔) maintains category dominance at 53.6% market share, yet faces -2.9pp erosion as cream-formulated tissue transitions from premium niche to mass-market product. This deep dive examines how brand competition, pricing dynamics, and consumer demographics are reshaping competitive dynamics in China's most dynamic paper product segment.

Volume Surge Signals Category Democratization

The most striking metric in moisturizing tissue is the divergence between volume growth (+81.2%) and value growth (+24.8%), which signals a structural transformation of the category^[1]. Average prices fell -31.2% YoY to CN¥ 20.4 per unit, driven by the entry of value brands that are making cream-formulated tissue accessible to a broader consumer base.

Monthly sales data reveals accelerating momentum through the MAT2025 period. Volume in April 2025 reached 15.3 million units versus 5.5 million in April 2024, a nearly threefold increase^[1]. This trajectory suggests the category is transitioning from a premium niche into a mainstream product, following the classic penetration-to-premiumization cycle observed in other Chinese consumer categories.

Moisturizing tissue reaches CN¥ 2.7 billion MAT2025 with +81.2% volume growth outpacing +24.8% value growth

COROU Dominates but Faces Structural Erosion

The moisturizing tissue brand landscape tells a story of dominant incumbency under siege from value-oriented challengers. COROU (可心柔) holds 53.6% market share with CN¥ 14.5 billion in sales, growing a healthy +18.5% YoY^[1]. However, the -2.9pp share erosion reveals the structural challenge: three value brands -- Yipiao, Congma, and Zhihu -- collectively gained +10.6pp of market share in a single year.

COROU maintains 53.6% market share but faces -2.9pp erosion as Yipiao and Congma surge

Consumer Profile: Beyond Baby Care

Consumer feedback analysis from Tmall (天猫) reviews reveals that moisturizing tissue remains fundamentally a baby-care product, with infants and toddlers accounting for approximately 60% of all demographic mentions in product reviews^[1]. However, the data also reveals underexploited consumer segments.

Baby and infant demographic accounts for 60% of consumer review mentions

Key Takeaways

• Category transformation: Moisturizing tissue's +81.2% volume growth versus +24.8% value growth signals the shift from premium niche to mainstream product
• COROU's structural challenge: 53.6% market share remains dominant, but -2.9pp erosion and the explosive growth of value brands indicate the competitive landscape is permanently changing
• Value disruption: Congma (CN¥ 4.1 average price, +2,967.5% growth) and Yipiao (CN¥ 9.2, +424.2%) prove cream tissue can be mass-market
• Consumer opportunity: Rhinitis patients (14.5% of mentions) and sensitive-skin users (4.0%) represent underexploited segments beyond the dominant baby-care positioning
• Strategic implication: Premium brands must differentiate on ingredients and brand equity, while value brands can capture share through competitive pricing on Douyin's content commerce model

About the Data

This analysis is based on Moojing Market Intelligence's proprietary e-commerce tracking database covering sales transactions, product listings, and pricing across Tmall (天猫), Taobao (淘宝), JD.com (京东), and Douyin (抖音). MAT2025 refers to the Moving Annual Total from September 2024 through August 2025. Consumer review analysis covers the MAT2025 period from specified Tmall product listings.

^[1] Source: Moojing Market Intelligence, MAT2025 e-commerce tracking data.