US Children and Health Market Report 2021
£ 3,695 (Excl.Tax)
Report Summary
Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the U.S Children and Health market including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the consumer.
The children’s health products market continues to grow even as a global pandemic imposed drastic shifts in Americans’ lifestyles and attitudes toward healthcare. Tactics to slow the spread of COVID-19 – masking, social distancing, handwashing/sanitizing – also squelched the spread of common cold/flu. In fact, 81% of parents said their kids were sick less often in 2020 than usual.
This may have diminished the need for cold, cough, allergy and nasal remedies, but interest in preventative VMS health solutions spiked. Mintel forecasts sales of children’s health products will grow 38% from 2020-25, driven more substantially by parental interest in preventative health remedies.
Quickly understand
- The impact of COVID-19 on managing children’s health
- The role of managing children’s health when normal social interactions resume
- How natural and functional ingredients can add value
- Maintaining interest in supporting children’s immune system health
Covered in this report
Areas included: Cold, cough and allergy remedies, vitamins/minerals/supplements, internal analgesics, baby electrolytes and other health remedies.
Brands featured: Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Bayer AG, Church & Dwight Co Inc, Reckitt Benckisser Group and others.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
Written by Andrea Wroble, a leading analyst in the Health and Wellness sector, her extensive knowledge delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
The children’s health market has strong reach, with nearly three quarters of parents giving their kids OTC pediatric remedies and VMS products, respectively. To that end, market sales have reached more than $2.5 billion in 2020 and forecasted for steady growth over the next five years. COVID-19 impacted segment performance, with cold, cough, allergy remedy sales stunted due to less illness, while VMS, internal analgesics and electrolytes benefited from interest in preventative health and preparedness. Moving forward, focusing on natural and functional ingredients offer a significant opportunity in product development and marketing, as these benefits address a wider variety of parents’ issues and concerns regarding their children’s health..
Andrea Wroble
Research Analyst
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- COVID-19: US context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- OTC children’s health products gain despite less frequent illness
- Figure 1: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Parents ramp up preventative healthcare
- Figure 2: Total US retail sales of vitamins and minerals, at current prices, 2015-20
- Impact of COVID-19 on children’s health management
- Figure 3: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on children’s health management, January 2021
- Opportunities and challenges
- Stabilize OTC remedy sales in periods of lower illness
- Figure 4: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, 2019 and 2020
- Tap natural and functional ingredients to add value
- Figure 5: OTC remedies claim drivers, November 2020
- Maintain interest in VMS after pandemic subsides
- Figure 6: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, November 2020
- Answer concerns regarding sleep, anxiety and stress
- Figure 7: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, November 2020
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The Market – Key Takeaways
- Families report less illness and adopt preventative health strategies
- Market expected to see solid growth in near term
- COVID-19 had varied implications by market segment
- The influence of seasonal flu
- Trends in family households
- Optimizing immune system and sleep health
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Market Size and Forecast
- Category produces gains despite kids being sick less often
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Spending on children’s health products rises in 2020
- Figure 9: Average expenditures on children’s health products, 2015-20
- Future growth driven by parental interest in preventative health remedies
- Figure 10: Total US sales and forecast of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-25
- The impact of COVID-19 on children’s health management
- Figure 11: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on children’s health management, July 2020
- Lockdown
- Re-emergence
- Recovery
- Learnings from the last recession
- Figure 12: Total US sales and forecast of OTC pediatrics, at current prices, 2007-2012
- Category produces gains despite kids being sick less often
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Segment Performance
- Cough, cold and flu remedies account for largest share of market
- Figure 13: Total US market share of children’s health products, by segment, 2020
- Pandemic fuels success in some segments for 2020
- Figure 14: Total US retail sales of children’s health products, by segment, at current prices, 2015-20
- Majority of parents’ shop “other” channels for children’s health remedies
- Figure 15: Total US market share of children’s health products, by channel, at current prices, 2020
- Figure 16: Total US retail sales of children’s health products, by channel, at current prices, 2018 and 2020
- Cough, cold and flu remedies account for largest share of market
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Market Factors
- Incidence of illness
- Figure 17: Seasonal flu severity in children, 2010-20
- The majority of children are learning at home and staying healthy
- Figure 18: Learning/child care situations, November 2020
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- Figure 19: Attitudes and behaviors toward managing children’s health, November 2020
- Households with children continue to decline
- Figure 20: Percent of households with children, 2009-19
- Millennials account for the majority of the parent market
- Figure 21: Households with own children under age 18, by age of householder, 2019
- Unemployment spikes and confidence wavers as a result of pandemic
- Figure 22: Consumer confidence and unemployment, 2000-October 2020
- Incidence of illness
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Market Opportunities
- Immune-boosting remedies are here to stay
- Figure 23: Gerber Facebook post, November 2020
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- Figure 24: Olly Facebook post, August 2020
- Figure 25: Zarbee’s Facebook post, December 2020
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- Figure 26: TURF analysis – claim drivers, November 2020
- Sleep health on deck
- Figure 27: Children’s sleep remedies, November 2020
- Immune-boosting remedies are here to stay
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Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
- Brands selling preventative and general healthcare remedies perform well
- Less cold/flu diminishes demand for brands competing in this space
- It’s time for legacy brands to embrace social media
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Market Share
- Brands active in VMS, internal analgesics and electrolytes post growth
- Diversified brand portfolio helps companies stave off losses
- Figure 28: Multi-outlet sales of children’s health products, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
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Competitive Strategies
- COVID-19 drives parents’ interest and sales of VMS
- Figure 29: Multi-outlet sales of vitamins and minerals, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Flintstones: Iconic brand gets active on social
- Figure 30: Flintstones Instagram post, September 2020
- Figure 31: Flintstones Facebook post, April 2020
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- Figure 32: Flintstones Facebook post, August 2020
- Mommy’s Bliss: Small brand built through social following
- Figure 33: Mommy’s Bliss Instagram posts, January 2021
- COVID-19 drives parents’ interest and sales of VMS
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The Consumer – Key Takeaways
- The majority of children use OTC pediatric and VMS products
- Illness prevention fuels use of VMS during pandemic
- Immune system health is a vital area of concern for kid’s wellness
- Parents open to treat with VMS, especially immune system health
- Claims of naturalness and immune system health imperative
- Format and brand are key OTC product purchase drivers
- Parents and kids have been sick less often this year…
- …but parents worry about COVID-19 and vaccines
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Children’s Health Remedies Usage
- OTC pediatric remedy usage declines
- Figure 34: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, 2019 and 2020
- OTC and VMS remedies have equal penetration
- Figure 35: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, November 2020
- Less affluent eschew VMS remedies
- Figure 36: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, by household income, November 2020
- More kids, more germs
- Figure 37: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, by number of children under 18 in household, November 2020
- Hispanics are less likely to use VMS remedies
- Figure 38: Vicks BabyRub, November 2020
- Figure 39: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, by Hispanic origin, November 2020
- OTC pediatric remedy usage declines
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COVID-19 Impact on VMS Usage
- Pandemic prompts parents to embrace VMS
- Figure 40: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, November 2020
- Moms say nothing’s changed, but dads indicate uptick in VMS usage
- Figure 41: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, by gender, November 2020
- Older parents have their kids take VMS for immunity support
- Figure 42: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, by age, November 2020
- Larger families switching to less-expensive VMS brands
- Figure 43: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, by number of children under 18 in household, November 2020
- Hispanics begin taking VMS more regularly due to COVID-19
- Figure 44: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, by Hispanic origin, November 2020
- Pandemic prompts parents to embrace VMS
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Health and Wellness Areas of Concern
- Pandemic prompts focus on immune system health and social interactions
- Sleep supports other areas of health and wellness
- Energy, stress and anxiety levels are concerning for parents
- Traditional health areas yield lowest concern among parents
- Figure 45: Health and wellness areas of concern, November 2020
- Dads concerned about kids’ energy, skin and bone health
- Figure 46: Health and wellness areas of concern, by gender, November 2020
- Older parents more concerned about immune system health
- Figure 47: Health and wellness areas of concern, by age, November 2020
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Treatments for Areas of Concern
- VMS is the go-to treatment to manage health concerns
- Figure 48: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, November 2020
- Immune system health can be a gateway to treat other concerns
- Figure 49: Zarbee’s Natural Cough Syrup, November 2020
- Figure 50: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, November 2020
- Dads open to a variety of treatment options
- Figure 51: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, by gender, November 2020
- Young parents show diverse interest in treatment options
- Figure 52: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, by age, November 2020
- Affluent parents lean into VMS
- Figure 53: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, by income, November 2020
- VMS is the go-to treatment to manage health concerns
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OTC Remedies Claim Drivers
- Natural and immune system health claims invaluable in OTC remedies
- Figure 54: OTC remedies claim drivers, November 2020
- Cleaner ingredients are important to moms
- Figure 55: OTC remedies claim drivers, by gender, November 2020
- Natural and immune system health claims invaluable in OTC remedies
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OTC Product Type Purchase Drivers
- Parents prefer gummy formats
- Name brands preferred over store brands in kids’ remedies
- Figure 56: OTC product type purchase drivers, November 2020
- Moms find value in format; dads interested in brand and new products
- Figure 57: OTC product type purchase drivers, by gender, November 2020
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Attitudes and Behaviors toward Children’s Health
- Less sickness despite pandemic
- Most parents likely to let illness run its course
- Insurance and vaccinations
- Figure 58: Attitudes and behaviors toward managing children’s health, November 2020
- Dads more likely to look online and have reservations about vaccines
- Figure 59: Attitudes and behaviors toward managing children’s health, by gender, November 2020
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- COVID-19: US context
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 60: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 61: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 62: Total US retail sales of children’s health products, by segment, at current prices, 2018 and 2020
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- Figure 63: Total US retail sales of children’s health products, by segment, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 64: Total US retail sales and forecast of cold, allergy, cough, nasal remedies, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 65: Total US retail sales and forecast of vitamins and minerals, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 66: Total US retail sales and forecast of internal analgesics, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 67: Total US retail sales and forecast of baby electrolytes, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 68: Total US retail sales and forecast of other children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 69: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, by channel, at current prices, 2015-20
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- Figure 70: US supermarket sales of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 71: US drugstore sales of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 72: US sales of children’s health products through other retail channels, at current prices, 2015-20
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- Figure 73: Average household spending on children and health, by segment, 2015-20
- Figure 74: TURF analysis – claim drivers, November 2020
- TURF Methodology
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Appendix – Companies and Brands
- Company/brand sales by segment
- Figure 75: Multi-outlet sales of baby electrolytes, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 76: Multi-outlet sales of internal analgesics, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 77: Multi-outlet sales of cold, allergy, cough and nasal remedies, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
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- Figure 78: Multi-outlet sales of others, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Company/brand sales by segment
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