Abstract
This report examines the market for OTC analgesics last reported by Mintel in December 2004. Despite a slight dip in 2004, market values have risen slightly since then.
As consumers are encouraged to take more responsibility for their health and self-medication increases, the likely areas for growth in over the counter analgesics look set to be the continued development of paediatric formulations, targeted formulations for muscle strains and sports injuries, migraine treatments and premium products packaged for use on the move.
Table of Contents
- Issues in the Market
- Definitions
- Abbreviations
- Market in Brief
- Hit it hard and fast
- Value sales are suffering
- Convenience is king
- State interference
- Active ingredients
- Consolidation is key
- Positive future growth predicted
- Internal Market Environment
- Physiological factors
- Figure 1: Selected complaints suffered from in the last 12 months, 2001-05
- Headaches
- Migraine
- Arthritis
- Bad back
- Other ailments
- Cultural attitudes to healthcare
- Figure 2: Agreement with attitude statements on health, 2001-05
- Health is a priority for consumers
- Dr Dolittle
- Analgesics for sports injuries
- Figure 3: Play or take part in selected sports regularly or occasionally, 2001-05
- Broader Market Environment
- Changing nature of healthcare provision
- Taking responsibility -- self-care
- How the Internet fits into healthcare provision
- Figure 4: Reasons for visiting healthcare websites in the last 3 months, 2002-06
- Consumers use the Internet for fact-finding
- Low Internet analgesics sales
- Changing demographics
- Ageing population
- Figure 5: UK population, 2001 and 2006
- More busy ABs
- Figure 6: UK population by socio-economic status, 2001 and 2006
- Competitive Context
- Analgesics on prescription
- Pharmacy and general sales of analgesics
- Avoiding the restrictions
- Promotional restrictions
- Clampdown on 'BOGOF' (buy one get one free) promotions
- Strengths and Weaknesses
- New Product Briefs
- Market Sizes and Forecast
- Growth coming from pharmacy sector
- Figure 7: Sales of analgesics, 2001-11
- Downward price pressure from grocery multiples
- Volume and pack sizes
- Figure 8: Volume and unit sales**, 2003-05
- The Future
- Growing older painlessly?
- Figure 9: projected UK population by age, 2006-11
- Targeted solutions
- The future is upwardly mobile
- Figure 10: Projected UK population, by socio-economic status, 2006-11
- Segment Performance
- Active ingredients
- Figure 11: Retail sales of analgesics, by active ingredient, 2004-06
- Ibuprofen
- Paracetamol
- Aspirin
- Paediatric formulations
- Paracetamol and codeine
- Paracetamol and aspirin
- Ibuprofen and Codeine
- Others
- New migraine treatments/ingredients join the OTC market
- Triptans
- Menthol
- Format type
- Tablets and caplets dominate
- Figure 12: Sales of analgesics, by product format, 2004-06
- Capsules catch on
- Market Share
- Own-label has been the big success story
- Brand shares
- Figure 13: Brand shares of analgesics, 2004 and 2006
- Companies and Products
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Wyeth Consumer Healthcare
- Pfizer
- Reckitt Benckiser
- Bayer (including Roche Consumer Health)
- SSL International
- Boots the Chemist
- Brand Communication and Promotion
- Figure 14: Main monitored media spend for analgesics, 2001-05
- Maintaining brand awareness
- Analgesic marketing peaks in 2004
- Media usage
- Figure 15: Main monitored media research, 2005
- Above the line
- Seasonality
- Figure 16: Main monitored media spend, 2005
- Winter woes
- Channels to Market
- Evolving distribution map
- Figure 17: Retail sales of analgesics, by type of outlet, 2004-06
- Groceries fight to hold their own
- P products give pharmacies a big market niche
- Niche outlets
- The Consumer -- Usage and Frequency
- Ailments suffered
- Young headaches
- Migraines -- education is key
- Old aches and pains -- rheumatism and arthritis
- Usage and penetration
- Headache remedies and analgesics
- Figure 18: Usage of headache remedies and analgesics in the last 12 months, 2001-05
- Targeted formulations lead to decline in frequency of use?
- Retired consumers have contrasting usage habits
- Figure 19: Usage of analgesics and headache remedies, by age, 2005
- Sporting injuries
- Younger AB consumers need fast acting pain relief
- Women are the heaviest users
- Figure 20: Usage of analgesics and headache remedies, by gender and lifestage, 2005
- Family most likely to be medium users
- Usage by attitudes to health and wellbeing
- Figure 21: Usage of headache remedies and analgesics in the last 12 months, by agreement with attitude statements on health, 2005
- Repertoire of illnesses
- Fewer more effective treatments
- Prevention better than cure
- Usage by incidence of ailments
- Figure 22: Usage of headache remedies and analgesics in the last 12 months, by complaints suffered from in the last 12 months, 2005
- Symptoms drive use of analgesics
- Recurring and persistent conditions
- Usage by sporting activities
- Figure 23: Usage of headache remedies and analgesics in the last 12 months, by play or take part in selected sports regularly, 2005
- Symptom or cure
- The Consumer -- Who, Why, What?
- Format used
- Figure 24: Products format used, May 2006
- Traditional tablets
- Family-friendly formats
- Topical analgesics
- Figure 25: Usage of topical painkillers ie creams, gels, rubs, sprays, May 2006
- Refresh and revitalise
- Appendix
- Brand Communication and Promotion
- Figure 32: Main monitored media spend for analgesics, by advertiser (company and brand), 2003-05
- The Consumer -- Usage and Frequency
- Incidence of ailments
- Figure 33: Selected complaints suffered from in the last 12 months, by demographic sub-group, 2005
- Usage of analgesics
- Figure 34: Usage of headache remedies and analgesics in the last 12 months, by demographic sub-group, 2005
- The Consumer -- Who, Why, What?
- Format usage
- Figure 35: Products format used, by detailed demographics, May 2006
- The Consumer -- Attitudes and Behaviours
- Figure 36: Attitudes to analgesics, January 2006
- Figure 37: Attitudes to analgesics, by selected demographics, May 2006
