Be prepared to consult on eye care options
by Cat Renwick, merchandising analyst, part of Monthly Retailer Category Tips
Learn more about the different eye care ailments and which products may provide relief.
- According to HRG’s Tri-PAC™ data (52 weeks ending 9/30/21), eye preparations represents 88% of eye & ear care performance in independent pharmacy. Within eye preparations, private label is the number one brand commanding 25.8% of subcategory sales! Stay well stocked on store brand products, as it is a sweet spot for community pharmacy patient consultations, competitive pricing, and increased margins.
- Dry eye disease is growing across the United States, approximately 44 million people suffer from dry eye.1 Surprisingly, only 22 million sufferers treat their symptoms with drops.2 There are different types of dry eye and 45% of patients are selecting the wrong product for their dry eye disease.3 Seek educational information from manufacturers and be prepared to consult with your patients to help them choose the appropriate product for their specific condition.
- More customers — 52% — prefer preservative-free eye drops4, however, only 27% purchase preservative-free drops.5 Use signage to draw attention to preservative-free eye drop options you stock or if you aren’t already carrying these items, add them to your assortment today to further increase your profits and customer satisfaction.
1. MarketScope LLC. 2020 Dry Eye Products Report: A Global Market Analysis for 2019 to 2025, St. Louis, MO.
2. Nielsen Homescan — Ailment Panel — Annual Survey 2017 Quintiles IMS data.
3. Systane ATU Report USA; Alcon data on file, 2016.
4. Nielsen Alcon Systane Dry Eye Drop Study, September 2020.
5. IRI CSIA 52 weeks ending 7/11/2021.