Olbas, the UK’s no.1 decongestant oil brand1, is extending its trusted range with the launch of Olbas Pelargonium Herbal Cough & Cold Relief Tablets, providing pharmacies and retailers with a naturally derived herbal medicine to meet growing consumer demand for natural cough and cold solutions.
Offering naturally derived relief from within, the new tablets are a traditional herbal medicinal product used to relieve the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, including the common cold, coughs, sore throat, and blocked or runny nose, based on traditional use only.
Containing a medicinal extract from the roots of Pelargonium sidoides, a plant with a long history of traditional use in respiratory care, Olbas Pelargonium is suitable for adults and children aged 12 and over. The easy-to-take tablet format fits conveniently into consumers’ daily routines, with one tablet taken three times daily (morning, midday and evening). The tablets contain no added sugar, no alcohol and are gluten-free.
Recovery is a journey. Olbas is there to help consumers every step of the way – whether at home or on the go. New Olbas Pelargonium supports relief from within, while the wider Olbas range helps consumers to breathe easier and feel more comfortable throughout their recovery:
- Relieve – New Olbas Pelargonium tablets to help relieve cough and cold symptoms from within.
- Breathe – Olbas Oil, Olbas Inhaler and Olbas Nasal Spray to help clear blocked noses and ease congestion.
- Soothe – Olbas Shower and Olbas Bath products help to create comforting moments when consumers are under the weather.
Together, the Olbas range helps shoppers to find relief on their natural road to recovery.
The launch comes as demand for natural self-care continues to rise. The PAGB’s 2025 Self-Care Census found that one in five UK adults actively prefers to manage minor health conditions using natural treatments, while more than half (53 per cent) want more OTC medicines made with natural ingredients2. This shift is being led by younger shoppers, with Gen Z and millennials now accounting for a disproportionate share of wellness spend3.
For pharmacies and retailers, the commercial opportunity is clear. The cold and flu decongestant category is currently worth £440m4, and tablets are the fastest-growing format by value share5. With relatively few pelargonium tablet currently available in the UK, Olbas Pelargonium provides retailers with the opportunity to introduce a different herbal medicine into a growing segment.
Consumer confidence in pelargonium continues to strengthen. The NHS now references pelargonium as a herbal option that people aged 12 years and over could consider for the relief of cough symptoms,6 helping reinforce awareness of the ingredient among self-care shoppers.As the UK’s no.1 decongestant oil brand1, Olbas also brings the reassurance of a trusted household name to this growing category. This is particularly important at fixture, with PAGB research showing 93 per cent branded products purchasers use the brand name to help them choose the right medicine, and 77 per cent choosing branded medicines at least some of the time2.
Rachel Realf, Brand Manager for Olbas, said: ”Olbas has helped families manage coughs, colds and congestion for generations. The launch of Olbas Pelargonium extends that trusted heritage into a growing area of natural self-care, offering shoppers a traditional herbal medicine that provides naturally derived relief from within while complementing the wider Olbas range.
“For retailers, it represents an opportunity to meet increasing demand for natural cough and cold solutions with a trusted brand, while bringing a differentiated licensed herbal tablet to one of the fastest-growing formats in the category.”
Olbas Pelargonium Herbal Cough & Cold Relief Tablets (RRP £7.99 / 21 tablets) will be available from summer 2026 from Amazon, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
For more information about the product range and how to ease decongestion, visit olbas.co.uk.
1 Olbas is the UK’s no.1 decongestant oil brand. Circana Cold & Flu Decongestants, Volume Sales, 52 w/e 31 Jan 26, Total Market.
2 PAGB, ‘The Self-Care Census 2025’, sample size 4,000.
3 McKinsey, ‘The Future of Wellness’ trends survey, 2025.
4 All Outlets, Circana Cold & Flu Decongestants, Value Sales, 52 w/e 3 Jan 2026.
5 Circana Total Market, Cold & Flu Decongestants, 52 w/e 26 Apr 2025.
6 NHS, ‘Cough’, nhs.uk
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