Consumer Health

Analgesics benefitted from the era of COVID-19, as consumers sought out pain relief such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, both of which saw extensive coverage in the media as low-cost products that could treat symptoms of the virus quickly and…

Demand for both adult and paediatric analgesics continued to grow in retail volume terms in 2023. Such products are widely used in Poland, particularly in the case of pain which is fleeting or immediate. With the rapid pace of modern life, consumers…

Analgesics recorded a significant increase in retail volume terms in 2021 and this was followed by even more dynamic growth in 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic and the tough restrictions introduced in 2020 and the beginning of 2021 in order to prevent it…

Despite general economic instability and a rise in prices, the analgesics category in 2023 looks set to achieve a positive performance. However, the current value growth rate is likely to be slower than in the previous year. This can be attributed to…

In 2023, there have been stock shortages for some analgesics in key distribution channels in Saudi Arabia, resulting from producers, suppliers, and/or distributors. As a result, end consumers have been switching to alternative products containing the…

In 2023, analgesics is set to see strong growth supported by rising prices in the context of generally high rates of inflation. After strong growth in 2020 due to stockpiling and decline in 2021, the category returned to growth in 2022 and has…

Due to the high rates of vaccination amongst Singaporeans, systemic analgesics were purchased in high quantities in 2022 to fulfil the demand to self-medicate amidst post-vaccination symptoms and common cold symptoms from later variants of the…

Diclofenac and naproxen are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics used to relieve mild pain. Both categories saw retail current value sales surge in 2022. Retail current value sales are set to continue to grow over 2023 in both categories,…

Analgesics in Slovenia are projected to experience significant growth in current retail value throughout 2023. Both adult and paediatric analgesics are performing well. During the latter part of the review period, the sector benefited from the…

When it comes to pain management, analgesics is a popular category, specifically acetaminophen. For many consumers, acetaminophen is their go-to preference as it is easily available across various channels. Additionally, it can be bought without…

Despite the overall waning impact of the pandemic in South Korea, simultaneous new outbreaks of COVID-19, influenza, and the common cold (referred to as a “tripledemic” in the country) are leading to a sharp increase in the number of consumers…

Since 2020, a factor supporting the growth of analgesics was the increased tendency of doctors to prescribe acetaminophen, among other common types of analgesics, as a way of managing the symptoms of patients with COVID-19, including muscle and joint…

Analgesics remained a key product area within consumer health in Sweden in 2023, having accounted for close to a quarter of overall OTC value sales. The most popular analgesics were those based on active ingredients acetaminophen or ibuprofen, with…

Analgesics has witnessed a return to positive volume growth in 2023, driven by the recovery of adult acetaminophen as a stronger flu season took hold in Switzerland. As the incidence of cold and flu increases, so does the use of analgesics in…

The topical analgesics/anaesthetic category is poised to record the fastest growth in volume and current value terms within analgesics in 2023, and looks set to show improved results in both respects as compared to 2022. These types of products…

Despite a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases, demand for analgesics continued to grow in 2023. This was partly due to the revival of pre-pandemic behavioural patterns, including the cessation of mask wearing and social distancing, which meant…

The market witnessed the shortage of some paediatric analgesics towards the end of the review period, causing alarm among parents in the Czech Republic. For example, the shortage of children's fever suppositories (Paralen Sup), which was most…

While most categories of analgesics are set to witness decreases in retail volume sales over 2023, this is largely due to spikes in sales in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as stress and anxiety levels increased. In 2023, many…

Towards the end of the review period, demand for analgesics was supported by the widening of the consumer base for these products as the advantages of using analgesics to manage headaches and other moderate types of pain became better known among the…

In the United Arab Emirates, analgesics can be categorised into two groups: products from international brands, and those from regional brands, which tend to be priced lower. By the end of the review period, the majority of analgesics brands were…

Analgesics is recording another strong year of current value growth in 2023, albeit at a slower rate than in 2022. Growth is particularly dynamic in the paediatric segment, especially for acetaminophen and ibuprofen, driven by the outbreak of…

There are interesting developments in terms of diverging performances within adult systemic analgesics. In 2023, acetaminophen is set to drive current value growth, and significantly outpace the overall performance of adult analgesics. Growth in…

Sales of analgesics in Tunisia are in decline in retail volume terms in 2023 which can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, there has been a stagnation in prices since 2019, which has limited the potential for revenue growth in the sector.…

While its demographic profile remains one of the most youthful in Europe, Turkey is steadily aging, with a gradually rising median age of population. Turkish people are living longer, with life expectancy rising. As such, the growth in the…

Though current value sales are expected to rise, constant value sales are expected to fall, as continuing rising operating costs cut into profitability. In 2023, with concerns about COVID-19 abating, demand for analgesics reduces to more normal…

Analgesics in Uzbekistan is still developing with growth opportunities in several subcategories. Current value sales remained in double-digits in 2023 continuing the trend seen throughout the review period. Analgesics tend to be purchased in…

The pandemic boosted demand for analgesics in Vietnam, as consumers believed that it was necessary to store analgesics at home as a precautionary measure. Adult and paediatric acetaminophen performed particularly well in 2020 and 2021, as…

The Asian consumer is changing. Traditional values that served the collective in terms of both society and the family are on the wane, with COVID-19 lockdowns accelerating a new focus on individualism and the self. This report explores how Asian…

Growing indulgence, unhealthy lifestyles and high stress levels has resulted in the early onset of diseases in India. More consumers are embodying healthier lifestyles, going back to their roots and seeking products with plant-based and herbal…

As e-commerce growth rates slow from historic highs, the online channel is no longer a rising tide for all categories and brands. While potential exists with e-commerce accounting for 50% of retail’s expected growth in the next five years, retailers…

Bayer AG continued to record growth during another challenging year in 2022, and despite the difficult operating environment created by the swift rise in global inflation and shortages to ingredients and raw materials, which has impacted growth…

The long-standing movement towards marketing and formulating around “wellness” continues to deepen, as companies across consumer goods experiment with using this concept to attract consumers. This briefing identifies the factors behind the blurred…

Consumers concerned about their physical and mental wellbeing are seeking preventative health solutions in food. This is driving sales of health and wellness packaged food, which reached USD497 billion in 2021. Free from has seen the strongest…

The briefing introduces the Cities Households Necessities Spending Index. The index ranks 1,075 cities by household expenditure on non-discretionary items, namely food, housing, and clothing and footwear. This analysis focuses on 160 major cities.…

Health and hygiene have become top priorities amid the Coronavirus pandemic. As consumers take greater ownership of their health and protect themselves, their families and their homes from the virus, health and efficacy-related claims gain in…

The global market for consumer health continues to be influenced by the pandemic, leading to tepid real growth in 2022. With challenges such as global economic uncertainties, disruption in access to ingredients, supply chain issues and difficulties…

The overall picture is expected to be positive in consumer healthy in 2023, as the economy performs well. The increase in natural gas export prices has helped offset the dip in oil prices. However, inflation remains high and the currency has devalued…

The depreciation of the local currency made imports more expensive at the end of the review period. This had a significant impact on the supply of and demand for imported products, in a country where the majority of medication is imported.…

During 2023, Argentina was plunged into an economic crisis, with the rate of inflation soaring to more than 100%, one of the highest in the world. With the country already struggling to comply with the conditions of a loan package from the…

After seeing a weakening in its growth rate in 2020, when the pandemic first hit the region, consumer health in Asia Pacific has since been recording strong growth. Further sales increases are expected over the forecast period, driven by factors such…

With the ending of lockdowns, border closures, and other COVID-19-related restrictions over the course of 2022, Australia has begun to see a return to normality in 2023, with Australians settling into their new hybrid routines and lifestyles.…

The World Health Organisation declared the end of the COVID-19 health crisis in 2023 with this having an overall negative impact on sales of consumer health in retail volume terms. For example, demand for products with a strong focus on immune health…

Consumer health in Azerbaijan is seeing something of a resurgence in 2023. New entrants are livening up the marketplace, and fresh medications are making their mark. The once-stringent Tariff Regulatory Authority has taken a step back, loosening the…

In Bangladesh, consumer health faces the challenge of inflation across various categories in 2023. Meanwhile, consumer preferences are shifting towards modern medicine due to its perceived quick effectiveness, leading to a decline in demand for…

Consumer health in Belgium continues to see steady growth in current value terms in 2023, albeit at a slightly slower pace than in the previous year. Among the most dynamic categories are analgesics, sleep aids (driven by high stress levels among the…

Bolivia has managed to protect itself to a large extent from inflation by continuing to have a fixed exchange rate against the dollar. However, there has been challenges for the economy in 2023, with sharp falls in foreign currency reserves and this…

In 2023, consumer health is no longer influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, as everyday life has normalized in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some categories, such as cough, cold allergy (hay fever) remedies, which were negatively impacted during the…

Consumer health in Brazil is expected to close 2023 with double-digit growth in current value terms for the third consecutive year. While in previous years, the COVID-19 pandemic boosted demand for cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies, as…

In 2023, the consumer health market in Bulgaria is set to see steady current value growth, with sales set to continue to fall at constant 2023 prices, though at a slower rate than in the previous year in both cases. Consumer preferences are shifting…

In 2023, Cambodia seems to have recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, consumer health demand is rising due to modernisation, urbanisation, and health risks from harmful chemicals. Nonetheless, challenges still exist, such as external…