Cough and Throat Remedies - US

Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.

Published: May. 1, 2008 - 83 Pages

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 <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, 2008

TV 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 2006-June 2007

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

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

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