Hello! I’m Kyle Lentz, category analyst at Hamacher Resource Group. Over the next couple of months, I will be authoring several blog posts on the state of the cold & allergy category and what to look forward to in 2016. These blog posts will be subcategory specific and will include product information, new item launches, an explanation on how the subcategory is performing, along with tips on how to make the most out of the cold & allergy seasons. Since we are in the midst of the spring allergy season, I thought I would start with the allergy subcategory.
Your feedback is always welcome – please use the form on our Connect page to email me!
Kyle
For some, mostly those that live in the South, allergy season can start as early as February and last well into the fall. I recently had a manufacturer meeting with someone from Dallas who mentioned, “Kyle, in Texas, allergy season starts in September and wraps up in August.” Luckily for most of us the season is shorter, and we’re only affected by allergens that are present at certain times of the year. These “Seasonal Allergies” can wreak havoc and for some spring and fall allergy sufferers, over-the-counter medications are the only way to make it through the day.
Luckily, there are options when it comes to treating these seasonal allergies. Prior to 2015, roughly 95% of the over-the-counter sales (non-prescription) were generated from pill forms available with, and without, a decongestant. Those with the decongestant pseudoephedrine were purchased from behind-the-counter. Recent Rx-to-OTC switches of intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) like Flonase®, Nasacort®, Rhinocort®, and the recently launched ClariSpray®, have added another dimension to the subcategory that was previously unavailable.
As a result of these launches you would naturally think that there would be some cannibalization in the category, but the opposite is true. INCS items brought incremental users to the category from the Rx side of the business and had little to no effect on the brands like Claritin®, Allegra®, Benadryl®, and Zyrtec®. In fact, each of these brands posted sales gains according to Information Resources, Inc. for the 52 weeks ended March 2016. The subcategory as a whole was up nearly 15%. Much of this overall growth can be attributed to a particularly strong pollen season that started about two weeks earlier than normal.
New Item Launches:
04116741222 ALLEGRA 24HR GELCAP 60
04110081144 CLARISPRAY NASAL ALLERGY SPRAY 120
04110081165 CLARISPRAY NASAL ALLERGY SPRAY 60
09110810536 COLD-EZE® ALLERGY EXTENDED/RELIEF CAP 20
35880921160 DAYCLEAR® ALLERGY 1.93OZ SHOT
35310020143 FLONASE ALLERGY 24H SPRAY 120X2
85061700601 OXY BUMP® NASAL SPRAY 120 HAYFEVER/ALLERGY
30045064612 RHINOCORT ALLERGY SPRAY 120
30045064660 RHINOCORT ALLERGY SPRAY 60
Retailer Tips:
- Tell your customers to keep their home as free of allergens as possible. I know after a long winter the first thing they want to do is open their windows and let the fresh air in. During allergy season, this may do more harm than good. Pollen from blooming plants can come in through the windows leaving patients with no safe place free from allergens.
- Same goes for fans in the window. This pulls in pollen from the outside and deposits it inside their home.
- Create an endcap during allergy season to include medications and other items like tissue, hand sanitizer, and allergy eye drops. Convenience is key when customers come in looking for medication to relieve their allergy symptoms.