Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Market sales soften after two years of strong growth
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of digestive health, at current prices, 2011-21
- Some adults opting not to treat digestive issues
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- Figure 2: Ailments experienced in the last 12 months, but did not treat, May 2016
- Safety concerns exist over the long-term health effects of OTC product use
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- Figure 3: Concern about health effects of H2 blockers and PPIs, May 2016
- The opportunities
- Adults experience more than one ailment; tap into need for multisymptom products
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- Figure 4: Repertoire of ailments experienced, by any ailment, May 2016
- Consumers are turning to product labels for information
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- Figure 5: Seek out information on package and in-store signage, May 2016
- Offer alternative product flavors to appeal to target group of sufferers
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- Figure 6: Interest in flavors, by age, May 2016
- What it means
The Market – What You Need To Know
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- Sales expected to soften in 2016; future growth steady
- Antacid sales dominate, yet a smaller segment of the market and retail channel are bringing in growth
- Probiotic sales are booming; potential implications for digestive health market
- Some adults choose to skip treatment
- Age impacts digestive health issues and treatment
- High stress and obesity levels are a positive indicator for digestive health market
Market Size and Forecast
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- Sales soften somewhat after two years of strong growth
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of digestive health, at current prices, 2011-21
- Figure 8: Total US sales and forecast of digestive health, at current prices, 2011-21
Market Breakdown
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- Antacids dominate the market; stomach remedies experiencing lift
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- Figure 9: Total US retail sales of digestive health, by segment, at current prices, 2011-21
- Supermarket sales pick up
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- Figure 10: Total US retail and percentage change of digestive health sales, by channel, at current prices, 2014 and 2016
- Probiotics (and prebiotics) dominate natural channel sales
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- Figure 11: Natural supermarket sales of digestive health products, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2016
Market Perspective
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- Probiotic sales are booming; impacts reactive treatment needs
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- Figure 12: MULO sales of select probiotics products, rolling 52 weeks 2015 and 2016
- Some adults are choosing not to treat their digestive issues
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- Figure 13: Ailments experienced in the last 12 months, but did not treat, May 2016
Market Factors
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- Age factors into who experiences and treats digestive health issues
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- Figure 14: Ailments experienced in the last 12 months, by age, May 2016
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- Figure 15: Share of population 18+, by age, 2011-21
- What comes first? Stress or digestive distress?
- Obesity rates are still on the rise
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- Figure 16: Prevalence of obesity among US adults aged 20 and over, 2006-15
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- P&G leads the digestive health market; Pfizer continues making headway
- Nexium 24HR continues to boost the antacids segment; laxatives segment has positive growth
- Negative press and misuse of medications could impact sales
- Mylanta returns to shelves and multisymptom products could lift usage
Manufacturer Sales of Digestive Health Remedies
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- P&G leads the market; Pfizer continues on its successful path
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- Figure 17: Manufacturer sales of digestive health remedies, 2015 and 2016
What’s Working?
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- Pfizer’s Nexium 24HR takes over as leading PPI antacid
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- Figure 18: MULO sales of select OTC PPI antacid brands, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2015 and 2016
- Laxative segment bolstered by top brand and smaller player
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- Figure 19: MULO sales of laxatives, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2015 and 2016
What’s Struggling?
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- Negative press surrounds some types of antacids
- Imodium sales experience notable boost; however success could be tied to a surge in harmful usage
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- Figure 20: MULO sales of stomach remedies/antidiarrheals, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2015 and 2016
What’s Next?
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- Mylanta returns to shelves with improved taste and new products
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- Figure 21: Interest in flavors and formats, by select product types, May 2016
- Promoting multisymptom relief could increase OTC remedy use
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Digestive health issues are common among adults, particularly 25-44- year-olds
- A personal reference is just as likely to be sought as information online
- Some digestive issues could be controlled or prevented, yet can be unexpected
- Consumers have no concerns with digestive health aisle; but are not exploring
- Safety concerns of antacids, H2 blockers, and PPIs exist
- Fruit flavors, dissolvable tablets, and chewy formats are familiar and appealing
- Proactive digestive health care has wide appeal
Ailments and Treatment
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- Digestive health issues are common among adults
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- Figure 22: Type of treatments used for any digestive health issues, May 2016
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- Figure 23: Incidence and treatment of digestive health issues, by ailments, May 2016
- Ailment and treatment align
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- Figure 24: Correspondence analysis of ailments and treatments, May 2016
- Correspondence methodology
- More than half of adults experience three or more ailments
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- Figure 25: Repertoire of ailments experienced, by ailments, May 2016
- Adults aged 25-44 most likely to experience digestive health problems
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- Figure 26: Ailments experienced, by age, May 2016
Sources of Information
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- A personal reference is just as likely to be sought out as information online
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- Figure 27: Sources of information, May 2016
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- Figure 28: Seek out medical professional, family/friends, select online sources, by age, May 2016
- Consumers are looking at product labels to aid in treatment choice
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- Figure 29: Seek information on package and in-store signage, May 2016
- One fifth of consumers are not seeking out information for treatment
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- Figure 30: Do not seek out information for treatment, by age, May 2016
Attitudes toward Digestive Health
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- Digestive issues can be controlled, yet the unexpected is expected
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- Figure 31: Management of digestive health issues, by age, May 2016
- Some people acknowledge they could prevent digestive issues
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- Figure 32: Ways to alleviate digestive health issues, by gender and age, May 2016
- Consumers can navigate the digestive health aisle; but are not exploring
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- Figure 33: Purchasing attitudes and behaviors of digestive health remedies, by age, May 2016
Perceptions of Antacids and Acid Reducers
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- Concerns exist over the long-term effects; consumers seek information
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- Figure 34: Concern and more information needed about H2 blockers and PPIs, by gender and age, May 2016
- Safety concerns of antacids may exist, but the efficacy is not in question
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- Figure 35: Perceptions of antacids, by gender and age and antacid usage, May 2016
- Current remedy usage impacts perception of product strength
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- Figure 36: Medication strength, by attitudes toward digestive health and antacid usage, May 2016
Interest in Formats and Flavors
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- Fruit flavors are familiar and most appealing
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- Figure 37: Interest in flavors, by product types, May 2016
- Dissolvable tablets and gummy/chewy most appealing formats
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- Figure 38: Interest in formats, by product types, May 2016
- Adults aged 25-34 express more interest in alternative flavors
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- Figure 39: Interest in flavors, by age, May 2016
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- Figure 40: Interest in select formats, by age, May 2016
Proactive Digestive Health Care
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- Proactive health supplements are a safe digestive health treatment
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- Figure 41: Agreement prebiotics, probiotics, and fiber supplements are a safe way of treating digestive health issues and agreement with caution not to mix treatments, May 2016
- Probiotic use could be tied to preparing for the worst
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- Figure 42: Attitudes toward probiotics, by age, May 2016
- Fiber is a tool for digestive health; used less for weight loss
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- Figure 43: Attitudes toward fiber supplements, May 2016
- In-store location of proactive digestive supplements not entirely clear
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- Figure 44: Locating proactive care products in store, by gender and age and fiber product users, May 2016
- More education on prebiotics needed
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- Figure 45: Attitudes toward prebiotics, by past 12 month fiber-product users, May 2016
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 46: Total US sales and forecast of digestive health at inflation-adjusted prices, 2011-21
- Figure 47: Total US retail sales and forecast of digestive health, by segment, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2011-21
- Figure 48: Total US retail sales of digestive health, by segment, at current prices, 2014 and 2016
- Figure 49: Total US retail sales of digestive health, by channel, at current prices, 2011-16
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 50: MULO sales of antacids, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2015 and 2016
- Figure 51: MULO sales of laxatives, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2015 and 2016
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- Figure 52: MULO sales of stomach remedies/antidiarrheals, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2015 and 2016
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