The recession upset many stomachs, and to cure them consumers reached for remedy tablets like Pepto-Bismol. Stomach remedy tablets were the shining star of the gastrointestinal products category, growing 50% in dollar sales over the past year, and 10% in unit sales overall. Supermarkets are adding these and other products, including recent Rx-to-OTC switches like Prevacid and Zegerid, to provide a sales lift for their growing pharmacy departments. However, drug stores still dominate on sales of laxatives, anti-diarrhea medication and other remedies for sensitive ailments.
Pharmaceutical companies like Schering-Plough continue to seek and receive over-the-counter approval from the Food and Drug Administration for medications like Zegerid, which got the green light in December of last year. Like Prilosec, Zegerid is a proton-pump inhibitor, which treats heartburn at the source. Consumers are clearly attracted to advanced formulas like this, though companies usually see sales dip when their patents run out and private-label alternatives hit the market.
52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 13, 2010 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
---|---|---|
Supermarkets | $649.1M | 2.4 |
Drug | $1.1B | 9.7 |
F/D/Mx | $1.9B | 6.9 |
CALENDAR YEAR | 2007 | 2008 DOLLAR SALES | 2009 |
---|---|---|---|
Supermarkets | $646.1M | $634.0M | $633.1M |
Drug | $993.1M | $991.0M | $1.1B |
F/D/Mx | $1.8B | $1.8B | $1.9B |
SUBCATEGORIES
52 WEEKS ENDING JUNE 13, 2010 | DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR |
---|---|---|
Antacid Tablets | $430.3M | 4.6 |
Antacid/Analgesic Combo | $17.8M | -4.3 |
Diarrhea Tablets | $49.7M | -4.1 |
Laxative Tablets | $132.4M | -4.7 |
Stomach Remedy Tablets | $18.5M | 43.0 |