Apr 9, 2020
Republished from DSN
One of the oldest segments in retail pharmacy — over-the-counter medications — has been on a fast track as of late. With medical out-of-pocket costs climbing, many consumers increasingly are turning toward OTC products to address myriad health-and-wellness concerns, including pain relief, weight loss, sleeplessness, gastrointestinal issues and cough-cold and sinus needs.
Among the features consumers look for are simple, clean ingredient profiles, efficacy, ease of use, safety and convenience. Seeking to satisfy consumer demands, suppliers are introducing many items that shoppers want and need.
This month, DSN recognizes the OTC companies at the forefront of innovation that are pushing to make consumers’ lives the healthiest they can be. Here are the winners of the Retail Excellence Award – OTC.
Hyland’s
For 117 years, Los Angeles-based Hyland’s has been on an important mission to identify the unmet needs of consumers and create products that address them.Les Hamilton, president, said Hyland’s does extensive research using focus groups to identify unmet needs they feel are not being addressed with natural offerings. Once a product idea is formulated, the company works closely with retailers to determine if it will sell well.This cough-cold season, the company will be launching three new 4Kids products, including a liquid pain-relief product, a liquid sore throat product, and a stuffy nose and sinus dissolvable tablet. Hamilton said the company formulated its new items after hearing moms say these types of natural items were missing from the shelves. Its new pain relief product will be the first homeopathic option targeted at kids. “From the food she gives her child and the HBC products she uses on their bodies to the OTC medicine she puts in their stomach, moms are looking for natural alternatives she can give her kids that address their healthcare needs simply and safely,” Hamilton said. “When she heads to the cough-cold aisle, she reviews all her choices and increasingly selects natural alternatives, such as homeopathic options.”
