by Noah Rosenthal, category analyst, part of Monthly Retailer Category Tips

Stay up to date with the developments in the eye & ear care category so you can advise your patients on product availability.

• In a poll conducted by HRG among our Facebook group of independent pharmacists last spring, most respondents indicated that they are not stocking hearing aids, because they don’t have enough information to make a decision (58%) or will order upon request (28%). A small percentage — 14% — said they had no plans to sell hearing aids. This is an opportunity as many of you are well positioned to help your patients with this challenge, especially if you are in a rural community that doesn’t have other options for assistance. Seek manufacturers who you can work with directly, in addition to your wholesaler, especially those that offer online audiology tests. If your patients don’t have internet access, schedule a few events where they can take the test at your store.
• The FDA has an excellent article on their site, “What You Should Know About Eye Drops,” to help you navigate recent recalls, including tips you can share with your shoppers. Continue to visit the FDA website to monitor the latest information released throughout 2024. HRG has excluded all recalled eye drops from our IN.store™ planograms and is monitoring products as they return to the market.
• According to UCLA Health, researchers have found that balance begins to decline in midlife, starting at about age 50. HRG has added a new a balance support supplement, which earned a two-star rating, to our recently released eye & ear care planograms. New products can drive shoppers to your store and to the department, increasing your profits. If you aren’t currently receiving IN.store planograms, check with your wholesaler to see if they are available or if these products have been added to their inventory or at least have similar items available.