Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Widespread use and population growth offer stability; declines in antacids stifle performance
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of digestive health, at current prices, 2012-22
- Lack of perceived need presents challenge
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- Figure 2: No need to treat digestive health issues with OTC remedies, May 2017
- Consumer confusion surrounds proactive care
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- Figure 3: Attitudes toward probiotics, May 2017
- The opportunities
- Refresh market with innovation and educational marketing strategies
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- Figure 4: Fast acting, long lasting, price, and recommendation OTC selection factors, May 2017
- Millennials emerge as key group for future market growth
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- Figure 5: Experienced any GI issue (net) and treatment with any OTC medication (net), by generation, May 2017
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Interest in proactive care could revive growth
- Struggling sales in antacids are reflected in overall market performance
- Proactive digestive health can have market implications
- Combating nontreatment
- Age impacts digestive health issues and treatment
Market Size and Forecast
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- Static market growth could see future gains from proactive remedies
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- Figure 6: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of digestive health remedies, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 7: Total US sales and forecast of digestive health, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Breakdown
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- Antacids command the majority of market sales
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- Figure 8: Share of US retail sales of digestive health, by segment, at current prices, 2017
- Growth in stomach remedies/antidiarrheals counter declines in antacids
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- Figure 9: Total US retail sales of digestive health, by segment, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
- Natural retailers can attract those interested in proactive digestive health
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- Figure 10: Total US retail sales of digestive health, by channel, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
Market Perspective
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- Probiotic sales continue to perform well
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- Figure 11: Share of US retail sales of vitamins, minerals, and supplements, by segment, at current prices, 2011-20 (est)
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- Figure 12: MULO sales of select probiotics, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Consumers want to learn more about proactive care
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- Figure 13: Proactive care, May 2017
- Nontreatment is a common reaction to digestive health problems
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- Figure 14: Ailments experienced in the last 12 months, but did not treat, April 2017
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- Figure 15: Barriers to treatment, May 2017
Market Factors
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- Population growth, particularly in adults 25-44, is favorable for market
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- Figure 16: Any GI issue (net), treat with any OTC medication (net) and experienced any GI issue but did not treat, by age, May 2017
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- Figure 17: Population aged 18 or older, by age, 2012-22
- Engagement among young Millennials offer opportunity
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- Figure 18: Population by generation, 2012-22
- Hispanics offer opportunity for category growth
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- Figure 19: US Population, by Hispanic origin, 2012-22
- Stress can cause digestive health issues
- High obesity rates offer stability for digestive health products
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- Figure 20: Prevalence of obesity among US adults aged 20 and over, 2006-15
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Sales performance of key players yield a mixed bag
- Growth in smaller companies outpaces market leaders
- Stomach remedies/antidiarrheals offer solid growth
- Negative press could be impacting declining sales in antacid PPIs
- Innovation and refreshed marketing strategies
Manufacturer Sales of Digestive Health Remedies
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- P&G struggles while J&J emerges as a standout performer
- Aggregate growth in smaller companies outpace market leaders
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- Figure 21: MULO sales of digestive health, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Working?
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- Growth in stomach remedies/antidiarrheals
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- Figure 22: MULO sales of stomach remedies/antidiarrheals, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Struggling?
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- Sales of PPI antacids decline
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- Figure 23: MULO sales of select OTC PPI antacid brands, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 24: OTC PPI treatment by ailment, April 2017
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- Figure 25: Digestive health frequency self-assessment, by perceptions OTC antacids are for serious digestive health issues, May 2017
What’s Next?
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- Static market craves innovation
- Time is of the essence...no time for tummy troubles
- Product recommendations provide guidance
- Proactive care offers market opportunity
- Be prepared
- Naturalness = safety
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Strong consumer base of GI sufferers
- Frequency of GI issues increases propensity for treatment
- Discomfort due to digestive issues increases tendency to take action
- Barriers to treatment present challenges
- Fast and quick are top factors, but price is also considered
- Perception of OTC remedies and proactive care
Ailments and Treatment
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- Majority of adults experience GI issues; OTC remedies are the common go-to treatment
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- Figure 26: Ailments and treatment, May 2017
- Adults aged 18-44 most likely to experience digestive health problems
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- Figure 27: Treatment of any GI issue experienced (net), by age, May 2017
- Digestive health problems most pronounced among Hispanic Millennials
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- Figure 28: Treatment of any GI issue experienced (net), by Hispanic origin and generation, May 2017
- Remedies used reflect product positioning claims
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- Figure 29: Correspondence analysis – Ailments and Treatments, May 2017
- Correspondence methodology
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- Figure 30: Ailments and Treatments, May 2017
Digestive Health Frequency Self-assessment
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- Infrequent digestive health issues are most prevalent
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- Figure 31: Digestive health frequency self-assessment, May 2017
- 25-34s are regular sufferers of digestive health issues
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- Figure 32: Digestive health frequency self-assessment, by age, May 2017
- Those who suffer from regular or constant GI ailments take action
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- Figure 33: Digestive health frequency self-assessment by any GI ailment (net) and treatment, May 2017
- More treatments used to address regular and constant GI issues
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- Figure 34: Digestive health frequency self-assessment, by repertoire of number of treatments, May 2017
Digestive Health Level of Discomfort Self-assessment
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- Most perceive their discomfort to be mild
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- Figure 35: Digestive health level of discomfort self-assessment, May 2017
- Younger age groups most likely to suffer from moderate discomfort
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- Figure 36: Digestive health level of discomfort self-assessment, by age, May 2017
- Frequency and severity of discomfort align
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- Figure 37: Digestive health level of discomfort self-assessment by frequency self-assessment, May 2017
- Moderate to severe sufferers take action
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- Figure 38: Digestive health level of discomfort self-assessment by any GI ailment (net) and treatment, May 2017
- More treatments used to address moderate to severe discomfort
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- Figure 39: Digestive health level of discomfort self-assessment, by repertoire of number of treatments, April 2017
Barriers to Treatment
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- No need to treat stands in the way of OTC remedy purchases
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- Figure 40: Barriers to treatment, May 2017
- Under-25s most willing to forgo OTC treatment
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- Figure 41: Select barriers to treatment, by age, May 2017
OTC Selection Factors
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- Quick and lasting relief are key factors when choosing an OTC remedy
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- Figure 42: OTC selection factors, by rank, May 2017
- 18-24s more influenced by price in OTC selection
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- Figure 43: OTC selection factors – Any rank (net), by age, May 2017
- Black consumers value fast-acting claims
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- Figure 44: OTC selection factors – Any rank (net), by race/Hispanic origin, May 2017
Perceptions of OTC Remedies
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- Perceptions reflect product positioning and severity of ailment
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- Figure 45: Correspondence analysis – Perceptions of OTC remedies, April 2017
- Correspondence methodology
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- Figure 46: Perceptions of OTC remedies, April 2017
- Constant sufferers perceive OTC antacids as solution for serious issues
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- Figure 47: Perceptions of OTC antacids, by digestive health frequency self-assessment, May 2017
- Moderate to severe sufferers most likely to perceive probiotics as a “fix”
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- Figure 48: Perceptions of probiotics, by digestive health level of discomfort self-assessment, May 2017
Proactive Care
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- A healthy gut is important for overall health
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- Figure 49: Proactive care, May 2017
- Women are more likely to agree probiotics are essential for gut health
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- Figure 50: Proactive care, by gender, May 2017
- Information gap most pronounced among young adults
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- Figure 51: Information gap, by age, May 2017
- Frequent and severe sufferers take proactive approach to gut health
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- Figure 52: Digestive health frequency self-assessment, by proactive care, May 2017
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- Figure 53: Digestive health level of discomfort self-assessment, by proactive care, May 2017
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 – The Market
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- Figure 54: Total US sales and forecast of digestive health, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 55: Total US retail sales and forecast of digestive health, by segment, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 56: Total US retail sales of digestive health, by channel, at current prices, 2012-17
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 57: MULO sales of antacids, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Figure 58: MULO sales of laxatives, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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