In 2022, the cough, cold and flu remedy category saw substantial growth, as not only did the removal of social distancing restrictions take place, but consumers’ immunity was likely down as they had engaged in such strict hygiene precautions for over two years during the pandemic.
In 2023, we are continuing to see an increase in ailments as consumers have not fully regained their pre-pandemic immune health. Unsurprisingly, experiences of colds, flus, sore throats and coughs have all risen (Mintel).
The ‘care at home’ trend will give the winter remedies category a boost as consumers feel more confident to treat common ailments at home. With incident rates of common illnesses such as coughs, colds and flus on the rise (Mintel), it’s likely that the category will continue to grow. In fact, we’ve already seen this pattern emerge with the percentage of adults experiencing a cold in the last 12 months increase by 37% to 48% (Mintel).
Within the winter remedies category, in 2022, lozenges performed incredibly well and saw a 10% increase in popularity as a format type within medicated confectionery (Mintel).
Elizabeth Hughes-Gapper, Jakemans Senior Brand Manager, comments: “We are about to enter the colder months where we will see an increase in sales for winter remedies as consumers feel more confident treating winter ailments at home. This means that brands need to ensure they are meeting the increased demands from consumers and tapping into their desire for reliability, quality and effectiveness as well as choice in format and flavour. Brands should also look to focus on the growing trend for natural ingredients.”
Rising inflation rates, which averaged at 2.1% for pharmaceutical products in 2022 (Mintel), paired with the rising cost of living is likely to drive consumers to reassess their spending habits.
That said, trust remains a key factor for consumers especially within the winter remedies OTC category (Mintel) and well known trusted branded products continue to perform strongly. Jakemans is the No.1 cough / throat lozenge brand (Kantar), with, sales increasing by 16.2% since 2022 (Mintel).
“We are about to enter the colder months in which winter remedies will start to increase in sales, especially as consumers feel more confident to treat common illnesses at home. Consumers are placing more value on their health and becoming more aware of the ingredients contained in the products they consume,” adds Hughes-Gapper.
“Brands can capitalise on this increased holistic approach by promoting the use of natural ingredients in their products and the health benefits these deliver.”
Jakemans provides a range of soothing menthol lozenges in a range of flavours such as Throat & Chest, Honey & Lemon, Cherry, Peppermint, Blackcurrant, Menthol & Eucalyptus and Blueberry. Jakemans uses only the finest natural ingredients with each tasty lozenge bursting with menthol – an ingredient that releases natural vapours to soothe the symptoms of a sore or tickly throat and keep airways clear.
Jakemans will be supported throughout the winter season with a strong TV, Radio and PR campaign ensuring consumers recognise the packs on shelf and the brand remains front of mind.
Claire Campbell, Olbas Senior Brand Manager, comments: “The essential nature of cold and flu products, coupled with the value consumers place on their health, means that the category is fairly well protected from the common spending patterns and behaviours we’ve seen emerge in response to the cost-of-living crisis presenting a real opportunity for the wholesale channel.
Coupled with a greater demand for convenient and ‘on the go’ solutions as consumers return to a ‘normal’ lifestyle, retailers can benefit from the impulse need shoppers have, but by stocking formats that offer greater convenience for ‘on-the-go’ consumption. The new Olbas Breathe Easy Patches, for example, are the latest addition to our established range – offering a quick, convenient and easy to use option whether at home or travelling.”
Olbas Oil is the nation’s favourite decongestant oil (Circana). The special mixture of pure plant oils such as eucalyptus, mint, clove, juniperberry and cajuput create the distinctive soothing and relieving vapours renowned with Olbas.
Olbas is launching a new product and format to sit alongside its collection of well-loved and recognised products. Suitable for children aged 3 years and older, Olbas Breathe Easy Patches are infused with a blend of oils for easy breathing. These patches can be applied to bedding or clothing and release soothing vapours during sleep, helping to avoid symptoms disrupting rest. The comforting aroma lasts for up to 8 hours.
Mask wearing, social distancing and other hygiene habits adopted during the pandemic, are becoming much less commonplace, which has inevitably led to the increased spread of colds and flus and allowed them to return to almost pre-pandemic levels. Combined with a shortage of doctor’s appointments, this means more consumers are self-medicating with oral and topical OTC remedies (Circana).
“Dedicating shelf space for winter remedies will make it easy for consumers to locate and browse the category, and it’s also important that sales staff are knowledgeable about the products and able to answer questions customers may have in advance of purchasing (Circana). At Olbas, we have a ‘here to help’ hub on our website, offering consumers lots of useful health advice and self-care tips developed in partnership with Family GP, Doctor Roger Henderson,” adds Campbell.
“What’s more, there is also a greater demand for convenient and ‘on the go’ solutions as consumers return to a ‘normal’ lifestyle, providing an opportunity for retailers. Not only can retailers benefit from the impulse need shoppers have, but by stocking formats that offer greater convenience for ‘on-the-go’ consumption retailers will do well. The new Olbas Breathe Easy Patches, for example, are the latest addition to our established range – offering a quick, convenient and easy to use option whether at home or travelling.”
This year the brand will be building upon its marketing campaign that was launched in 2022, with a robust integrated marketing campaign to ensure Olbas remains the nation’s favourite.
“It’s been a year of strong growth for the lozenge and pastilles market, which has seen values sales increase +30% and volumes increase +11.2% across all channels combined (Nielsen),” says Jon White, Regional Business Manager for Fisherman’s Friend in the UK. “All the indications are that we can attribute this success to the fact that, as a nation, we’re continuing to become more exposed to higher – and indeed more normal – incidences of cold and flu post-Covid, but also that we are giving greater priority to our health and personal care.”
“Consumers are clearly seeking out products to help relieve symptoms, but we are also seeing how people are consuming lozenge and pastille products across less traditional occasions. For example, due to the high levels of menthol in our products, not only do they help to keep airwaves clear, but they also keep breath fresh, and there is a huge pool of shoppers who are using Fisherman’s Friend for the purpose of the latter alone – particularly when socialising.”
This has all contributed towards an increase in Fisherman’s Friend sales across total retail, which have risen by +13.5% (Ceuta), whilst convenience sales have grown by +26% (Ceuta).
Firstly, shoppers are visiting stores more often to top-up. In fact, there were 45m more shopping trips made last year (Nielsen), which is good news for impulse-led products – such as individual packs – which consumers tend to grab on the go.
For the past few years, Fisherman’s Friend has invested heavily in an integrated marketing campaign with its ‘Whatever the Day Throws at You’ creative, and the brand is reviving the campaign across PR, social and digital over autumn / winter 23/24. This will help to ensure the lozenges remain front of mind for consumers’ seeking products which help to relieve cold and flu symptoms.
“Once again, the ‘Whatever the Day Throws at You’ creative platform celebrates our fishing heritage, which has been at the heart of the family-owned business since 1865,” concludes White.
Matt Stanton, Head of Insight at DCS Group, comments: “Medicines shoppers are extremely brand loyal because shoppers see brands as the experts, who produce products that can be trusted to get the job done. Whereas other grocery categories are seeing shoppers trading down to cheaper private label products, shoppers are less likely to do this on medicines.”
Branded healthcare is growing ahead of private label in the UK (+3.6% growth in brands vs. -4.6% decline in private label, Kantar), which is in contrast to many other grocery categories where private label is growing ahead of branded products.
The overall OTC medicines category is in strong YoY growth. It is well-documented that the availability of GP appointments is under pressure, so many people are opting to self-treat with OTC remedies, which is leading to overall category growth.
Winter Meds is known as a ‘reactive’ healthcare category – shoppers have a problem, and they need an effective solution as soon as possible, and they trust brands to do the job.
Unsurprisingly, sales of winter medicines peak through colder weather in the winter. However, they are important to have on shelf all year, as coughs, colds and flu are not exclusively winter illnesses. Sales volumes pick up in autumn and then remain high through winter.
“Visibility is key because shoppers will stock up on impulse. We usually recommend medicines are displayed on the main shop floor wherever possible, rather than behind the counter, as this makes them easier for shoppers to find, although we would make exceptions for stores with particularly high levels of shoplifting,” adds Stanton.
“Stocking medicines behind the till creates a barrier to purchase. If there is no option to display medicines on the shop floor, then you should at least make sure they are very visible behind the till and make sure the prices are easy for shoppers to read from a distance. Having to ask the price creates a barrier for some shoppers. It’s also worth having POS that directs shoppers to the till point from relevant shop floor categories, such as toiletries or baby care, to make sure they know where to look.”
The best shop floor location is off-shelf/feature display – these areas can deliver up to 40% of total winter medicines sales.
If off-shelf display isn’t possible, locate near to the toiletries category. Remember also that there is a strong link between baby care (nappies, wipes, baby milk, baby food) and children’s medicines (Calpol, Nurofen for Children), so this should be located nearby too.
Locating on the main shop floor near to the till point, or in the queueing system where relevant, will help to minimise the risk of theft. OTC medicines is a high value, high frequency category with a high proportion of reactive shoppers, and therefore sits well in a high footfall area.
If it is necessary to merchandise behind the till, make sure the prices are clearly visible. If shoppers need to ask the price, it causes a purchase barrier which could lead to lost sales.
Using high-quality Manuka honey has been shown to be effective at relieving coughs, which are more common during the winter due to the decline in temperature, lowering our immune systems. Manuka contains antimicrobial properties and has thus been shown to be useful in soothing the trachea. While a spoonful of Manuka honey is certainly a must-have while dealing with a nasty winter cold, Comvita has also produced small, portable Lozenges to deal with that pesky cough wherever you are.
Genuine Manuka honey can be identified by its UMF and MGO numbers. Comvita’s Manuka with MGO 83+ and UMF 5+ is recommended for use all year round. Its Manuka with MGO 541+ and UMF 15+ is stronger and thus ideal for dealing with the attacks on our immune system that the winter months can bring.
Notably, Manuka honey from New Zealand, contains over 2000 plant chemicals which is considerably more than regular honey. All Comvita Manuka honey products are UMF certified, sustainably sourced, GMO free, and traceable from hive to shelf.
Ideal for nasty coughs, Comvita Pure Manuka Honey Lozenges provide the soothing qualities of 100% Pure UMF™ 10+ Manuka Honey. New Zealand Manuka has long been valued for its health-maintaining effects and Manuka Honey is gaining worldwide recognition for its unique properties. These lozenges are convenient to carry and perfect for travelling or on the go.
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