Abstract
The cough and throat remedies market has undergone significant fluctuations during 2002-07, due mostly to the relative severity of annual cold/flu seasons. Yet, another cause of volatility came in 2007 and 2008 as the industry faced strong challenges from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the efficacy and safety of children' s remedies, which resulted in a late 2007 voluntary recall of infant' s cough formulas. In addition, the market waits further decisions from the FDA about formulas for children aged 2-6 years, as well as impending legislation seeking to curb abuse of remedies based on dextromethorphan (DXM), the passing of which will certainly affect sales in the coming years. Beyond a detailed analysis of these factors, this report also addresses:
- the impact on remedy sales of population growth among children, women, and the elderly
- possible strategies for turning the negative publicity surrounding children' s products into marketing advantages
- the competitive context for manufacturers, including brand qualities that set the leading players apart from the rest of the market
- detailed exploration of usage of cough and throat remedies, as well as attitudes and motivations among respondents to Mintel' s exclusive consumer survey and analysis of the Simmons NCS
- new product trends, including the rise of natural/drug-free/homeopathic or otherwise alternative remedies
- Furthermore, this report highlights trends that will set the pace for the future of the industry, and identifies methods for remaining competitive in this dynamic market.
Table of Contents
- Scope and Themes
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
- Executive Summary
- A fluctuating market
- Natural/alternative remedies likely to surge
- Lozenges sell most, sidestepping restrictions
- Drug stores will continue to lead retail market
- Incidence of cold/flu, population factors, sales restrictions dictate sales
- Cadbury leads market, many other players face restrictions
- The people
- Market Size and Forecast
- Key points
- Seasonal severity drove fluctuating sales during 2002-07
- Bans, restrictions, legislation present future challenges
- Figure 1: FDMx and c-store sales and forecast of cough and throat remedies, 2002-12
- Figure 2: FDMx and c-store sales and forecast of cough and throat remedies at 2007 inflation adjusted prices, 2002-12
- Competitive Context
- Homeopathic/natural alternatives to OTC medicines
- Cadbury' s Halls transcends restrictions, outsells all other OTCs
- Segment Performance
- Key points
- Drops outsell syrups and sore throat remedies
- Sales by segment
- Figure 3: U.S. FDMx sales and forecast of cough and throat remedies at current prices, by segment, 2002-12
- Figure 4: U.S. FDMx sales of cough and throat remedies, by segment, 2005 and 2007
- Segment Performance--Cough Drops
- Key points
- Convenience, utility drive sales of cough drops
- Figure 5: U.S. FDMx sales and forecast of cough drops, 2002-12
- Segment Performance--Cough Syrup
- Key point
- Syrups face the biggest hurdle
- Figure 6: U.S. FDMx sales and forecast of cough syrup, 2002-12
- Segment Performance--Sore Throat Liquid
- Key points
- Spray anesthetic properties undercut by strip technology
- Figure 7: U.S. FDMx sales and forecast of sore throat liquid, 2002-12
- Retail Channels
- Key points
- Drug stores remain preferred cough and throat remedy retailer
- Figure 8: U.S. sales of cough and throat remedies, by retail channel, 2005 and 2007
- Retail Channels--Drug Stores
- Key points
- Pharmacies will play larger role in OTC sales
- Store brands represent opportunity for drug chains
- Figure 9: U.S. sales of cough and throat remedies through drug stores, 2002-07
- Retail Channels--Other Channels
- Key points
- Other retailers face similar challenges
- Figure 10: U.S. sales of and throat remedies at other* retail channels, 2002-07
- Market Drivers
- Incidence of cold and flu
- Key points
- Details
- Figure 11: U.S. seasonal flu severity, 2002-07
- Women, children, and older populations impact market
- Key points
- Key demographics
- Figure 12: Female population by age, 2003-13
- Figure 13: Population by age, 2003-13
- Restrictions on children' s formulations hamper sales
- Key points
- Details
- Figure 14: Usage of children' s cough and cold products, 2000-07
- Figure 15: Opinions on safety of children' s remedies, by parents of children greater than 6 years, 2007
- Leading Companies
- Key points
- FDMx market dominated by Cadbury and Wyeth
- Smaller players
- Figure 16: Sales of leading cough and cold remedy manufacturers, 2005 and 2007
- Brand Share--Cough Drops
- Key points
- Halls leads; other brands benefit from similar non-medicated positioning
- Figure 17: FDMx brand sales of cough drops in the U.S., 2005 and 2007
- Brand Share--Cough Syrup
- Key points
- Syrup manufacturers face uphill battle in recalls and restrictions
- Figure 18: FDMx brand sales of cough syrup in the U.S., 2005 and 2007
- Brand Share--Sore Throat Liquid
- Key points
- Recall, pending FDA decision negatively affect throat liquids
- Figure 19: FDMx brand sales of sore throat liquid in the U.S., 2005 and 2007
- Brand Qualities
- Halls fends off lozenge competition with strong branding
- The battle to claim long-lasting cough relief
- Innovation and Innovators
- Cepacol unveils one-shot relief
- Figure 20: Cepacol Dual Relief Spray television ad, 2008
- Mucinex targets parents with new melts in children' s flavors
- Reformulations
- Natural/homeopathic/drug-free
- Multi-symptom
- Children' s formulations
- Product claims
- Figure 21: Number of cough and throat remedy product claims, by type, 2003-08
- Product launches by company
- Figure 22: Number of cough and throat remedy product launches, by company, 2003-08
- Advertising and Promotion
- Overview
- TV ads--adult remedies
- Figure 23: Cepacol Maximum Numbing lozenges television ad, 2008
- Figure 24: Chloraseptic liquid lozenges television ad, 2008TV ads--children' s remedies
- Figure 25: Delsym Children' s cough suppressant television ad, 2008
- Figure 26: Mucinex Cough Mini-melts television ad, 2008
- Figure 27: Nighttime Triaminic Thin Strips television ad, 2008
- Usage
- Cough syrup
- Figure 28: Usage of cough syrup, by gender and age, May Figure 29: Preferred types of cough syrup, by gender and age, May 2006-June 2007
- Sore throat products
- Figure 30: Usage of sore throat products, by gender and age, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 31: Preferred kinds of sore throat products, by gender and age, May 2006-June 2007
- Children' s products
- Figure 32: Usage of sore throat products, by gender and age, May 2006-June 2007
- Attitudes and Motivations
- Attitudes towards cough and throat remedy purchases
- Figure 33: Attitudes towards cough and throat remedy purchases, by gender and age, March 2008
- Figure 34: Attitudes towards cough and throat remedies, by gender and age, March 2008
- Source of cough and throat remedy purchases
- Figure 35: Preferred purchase locations of cough and throat remedies, by gender and age, March 2008
- Interest in natural/organic cough and throat remedies
- Figure 36: Usage of natural/organic cough and throat remedies, by gender and age, March 2008
- Forms of cough and throat remedies that would be considered
- Figure 37: Preferred types of natural/organic cough and throat remedies, by gender and age, March 2008
- Race and Ethnicity
- Usage of cough/sore throat
- Figure 38: Purchase incidence of, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
- Figure 39: Preferred types of cough syrup, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 40: Usage of sore throat products, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 41: Preferred types of sore throat products, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 42: Preferred kinds of sore throat products, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
- Preferred delivery format for throat remedies
- Figure 43: Preferred kinds of sore throat products, by race/ethnicity, March 2008
- Figure 44: Usage of sore throat products, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 45: Preferred types of children' s cough/cold products, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 46: Forms of sore throat remedies that would be considered, March 2008
- Attitudes toward cough and throat remedies
- Figure 47: Attitudes towards cough and throat remedy purchases, by race/ethnicity, March 2008
- Figure 48: Attitudes towards cough and throat remedies, by race/ethnicity, March 2008
- Place of purchase
- Figure 49: Preferred retail locations for purchases of cough and throat remedies, by race/ethnicity, March 2008
- Natural/organic preferences
- Figure 50: Usage of natural/organic cough and throat remedies, by race/ethnicity, March 2008
- Appendix: Other Useful Consumer Tables
- Usage
- Figure 66: Preferred types of sore throat products, by gender and age, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 67: Preferred kinds of sore throat products, by gender and age, March 2008
- Figure 68: Preferred types of children' s cough/cold products, by gender and age, May 2006-June 2007
- Usage frequency
- Figure 69: Usage frequency of cough syrup, by gender and age, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 70: Usage frequency of sore throat products, by gender and age, May 2006-June 2007
- Brands
- Popularity of brands
- Figure 71: Preferred types of cough syrup, by gender and age, June 2007
- Figure 72: Preferred types of sore throat products, by gender and age, June 2007
- Appendix: Trade Associations
