Understanding how consumers prefer to manage common illnesses is the key to growth in the US OTC market. Mintel’s US Managing Common Illness Market Report provides key insights and information on the latest and expected consumer trends, as well as information on key market opportunities. Stay ahead of the competition with our comprehensive report, detailed below.
Our report helps market professionals understand:
- What common illness ailments consumers have experienced in the past year.
- How often consumers are experiencing a common illness and how frequency has changed over the past 12 months.
- How consumers treat specific common illnesses.
- Consumer approach to preventing common illness.
- How consumers respond to OTC product availability and how it’s impacting the category.
American Consumers & Common Illness
Incidence of common illnesses in the US has increased in the past year, and 25% of consumers are getting sick more often as their immune systems rebuild following the slow abandonment of preventative health measures enacted during the pandemic.
Managing Common Illness – Current Consumer Trends
When a common illness arises, consumers turn to OTC remedies as the first line of treatment. However, while these might be the most common form of treatment, 44% of consumers have adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ approach when managing a common illness in the past year. On top of that, 32% preferred to use alternative or home remedies as treatments. Both of these factors have dampened demand in the OTC drugs market.
Managing Common Illness – Future Consumer Trends
The pandemic changed many consumers’ approach to health. They are looking for ways to gain greater control over their health and wellness. For example, 53% of Gen Z regard their physical health as more important than before the pandemic.
As a result of this new focus on health, consumers have shown an interest in ways to strengthen their immune system. OTC brands should respond by continuing to focus on including immune-supporting ingredients in their products to expand their consumer base.
Common illnesses are not going anywhere. Currently, 26% of Americans report experiencing common illness symptoms once every 2-3 months. However, the way that consumers react to them and attempt to treat them is changing. To gain a fuller understanding of consumer behaviour, and identify more opportunities for growth in the US OTC drugs market, purchase our full market report.
Products and OTC Remedies Companies and Brands Covered in this Report
Products:Â Cold, flu and sinus remedies (including tablets, capsules, liquids, powders, and hot drinks for treating cold/flu and/or nasal and chest congestion, nasal strips, aspirators), Cough/throat remedies (including cough/sore throat drops, cough syrups/sore throat liquid medicine), Allergy remedies (including tablets, capsules, liquids, powders, nasal sprays).
Companies: Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Bayer AG, Haleon, Sanofi-Aventis US LLC, Mondelez International Inc, Ricola USA Inc.
Brands: Mucinex, Delsym, Cepacol, Vicks, Braun, Robitussin, Theraflu, Advil, Alka-Seltzer, Afrin, Coricidin, Tylenol, Sudafed, Zarbee’s Naturals, Halls, Ricola, Zyrtec, Benadryl, Rhinocort, Claritin, Allegra, Xyzal, Nasacort.
Expert Analysis from a Specialist in the US Health Sector
This report, written by Dorothy Kotscha, a leading health analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the US health market and add expert context to the numbers.
Consumers have faced increased exposure to common illness over the past year, as influenza, COVID-19 and RSV converged, creating a tridemic. Nearly one quarter of consumers experienced more frequent common illness than last year despite taking preventative measures, such as using immune-boosting supplements. Because many symptoms of common illness overlap, traditional OTC brands should consider broadening their product portfolio to provide comprehensive symptom relief and immune-building formulas. Brands can lean into this strategy by broadening their product range to treat a wider range of symptoms rather than focusing on specialised relief for a narrow range of common illness.
Dorothy Kotscha
Health Analyst
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Consumer trends
- One quarter of consumers are getting sick more often
- Figure 1: Changes in frequency, 2023
- The pain of out of stocks is persistent
- Figure 2: Select attitudes toward managing common illness, 2023
- When common illness strikes, consumers seek OTC symptom relief
- Figure 3: Treatment options, 2023
- Competitive strategies
- Brands broaden category reach with line extensions
- Bayer AG’s OTC prescription-strength allergy relief
- COVID-19 testing evolves to educate
- Market predictions
- Figure 4: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of the cough, cold, flu and allergy market, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 5: Cough, cold, flu and allergy category outlook, 2023-28
- Opportunities
- Blend OTC remedies with immune-supporting probiotics for a multipronged solution
- Figure 6: Select treatment options, 2023
- Consumers desire more comprehensive diagnostic tests
- Figure 7: Interest in select methods of managing future illness, 2023
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Market Size and Forecast
- Category growth is strong amid increased common illness cases and unpredictability of COVID-19
- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of cough, cold, flu and allergy market, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 9: Total US sales and forecast of cough, cold, flu and allergy market, at current prices, 2017-27
- Category growth is strong amid increased common illness cases and unpredictability of COVID-19
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Segment Performance
- Sales of cough, cold and flu remedies continue to drive category sales
- Figure 10: Total US retail sales and forecast of cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies, by segment, at current prices, 2017-27
- Sales of cough, cold and flu remedies continue to drive category sales
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Market Drivers
- Tridemic hits consumers hard as flu, RSV and COVID-19 collide
- FDA revoked authorization for COVID-19 antibody treatment
- President Biden signs the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 into law
- Product shortages continue to complicate common illness relief
- Amazon acquires One Medical, making it easier for consumers to access healthcare
- Figure 11: One Medical Instagram post, 2023
- Johnson & Johnson files to spin off its consumer health unit
- Figure 12: Kenvue Instagram post, 2023
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Key Players
- Sales growth for top companies remains strong
- Sales of cough, cold, flu and allergy category by company
- Figure 13: Multi-outlet sales of cough/cold/flu and allergy remedies, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
- Growth for the cough, cold and flu segment remains robust
- Figure 14: Multi-outlet sales of cough/cold/flu remedies, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
- Innovation within the OTC allergy could revitalize segment
- Figure 15: Multi-outlet sales of allergy remedies, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Delsym launches campaign to help families feel better together
- Expanding product portfolio can broaden brand reach
- Figure 16: Mucinex Instasoothe sore throat + pain relief cherry flavor spray, 2022
- Bayer’s prescription-strength allergy spray is available without a prescription
- Figure 17: Astepro antihistamine nasal spray, 2022
- A new at-home test can differentiate between influenza and COVID-19 symptoms
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The Common Illness Consumer – Fast Facts
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Common Illness Experienced
- Nearly all common illness ailments are on the rise
- Figure 18: Common illness experienced, trended 2022-23
- Gen Zs are more likely to experience general common illness
- Figure 19: Select common illness experienced, by generation, 2023
- Nearly all common illness ailments are on the rise
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Frequency of Illness
- Common illness happens fairly often
- Figure 20: Frequency of common illness, 2023
- Younger consumers report getting sick more often
- Figure 21: Frequency of common illness, by generation, 2023
- Common illness happens fairly often
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Change in Frequency
- One quarter of adults are sick more often compared to last year
- Figure 22: Changes in frequency, 2023
- Millennials are on the front lines of common illness exposure
- Figure 23: Changes in frequency, by generation, 2023
- Parents bear the brunt of common illness exposure
- Figure 24: Changes in frequency, by parent status, 2023
- One quarter of adults are sick more often compared to last year
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Treatment Options
- Consumers seek OTC symptom relief, many still take a multipronged approach
- Figure 25: Treatment options, 2023
- Gen Zs reach for immune support to treat most illness symptoms
- Figure 26: Select treatment options, by generation, 2023
- Hispanic consumers take a multipronged approach to treating symptoms
- Figure 27: Select treatment options, by Hispanic origin, 2023
- Consumers seek OTC symptom relief, many still take a multipronged approach
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Preventing Illness
- Consumers are employing a broad prevention strategy
- Figure 28: Managing common illness ailments, 2023
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- Figure 29: Align Probiotic Instagram post, 2021
- Parents need a push to prevent common illness
- Figure 30: Managing common illness ailments, by age of children in household, 2023
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- Figure 31: Ad Council Instagram post, 2022
- Consumers are employing a broad prevention strategy
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Attitudes toward Managing Common Illness
- Encourage consumers to care for themselves, even when symptoms are mild
- Figure 32: Attitudes toward managing common illness, 2023
- Younger consumers lean more on doctors
- Figure 33: Attitudes toward managing common illness, by generation, 2023
- Hispanic consumers seek alternative ways to manage common illness
- Figure 34: Attitudes toward managing common illness, by race and Hispanic origin, 2023
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- Figure 35: Robitussin Naturals cough + immune health dietary supplement, 2022
- Encourage consumers to care for themselves, even when symptoms are mild
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Interest in Managing Future Illness
- Consumers look for ways to be better informed
- Figure 36: Interest in methods of managing future illness, 2023
- Tech solutions appeal to younger consumers
- Figure 37: Interest in select methods of managing future illness, by generation, 2023
- Consumers look for ways to be better informed
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- 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 38: Total US retail sales and forecast of cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 39: Average annual household spending on cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies, 2017-22
- Figure 40: Total US retail sales of cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies by segment, at current prices, 2020 and 2022
- Figure 41: Total US retail sales and forecast of cough/cold/flu remedies, at current prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 42: Total US retail sales and forecast of cough/cold/flu remedies, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 43: Annual percentage changes in multi-outlet sales of cough/cold/flu remedies, by value and volume, 2018-22
- Figure 44: Total US retail sales and forecast of allergy remedies, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 45: Total US retail sales and forecast of allergy remedies, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 46: Annual percentage changes in multi-outlet sales of allergy remedies, by value and volume, 2018-22
- Figure 47: Total US retail sales of cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies by channel, at current prices, 2020 and 2022
- Figure 48: Total US retail sales of cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies, by channel, at current prices, 2017-22
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- Figure 49: US supermarket sales of cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 50: US drugstore sales of cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 51: US sales of cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies, through other retail channels, at current prices, 2017-22
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Appendix – The Consumer
- Consumers manage most symptoms without a medical professional
- Figure 52: Correspondence analysis – Symmetrical map – Steps for managing common illness, 2023
- Consumers manage most symptoms without a medical professional
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