Table of Contents
Overview
-
- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
-
- The issues
- The number of potential customers is declining, restraining market growth
-
- Figure 1: Total US retail sales and fan chart forecast of OTC children's health products, at current prices, 2012-22
- Mainstream brands struggle with parents’ shifting attitudes toward health remedies
-
- Figure 2: Attitudes toward natural products and ingredient safety of children’s OTC medications, November 2017
- Some parents lack the confidence in treating their children
-
- Figure 3: Methods of caring for sick children, by parents who know how to make child feel better, November 2017
- An OTC medication is not all parent’s first go-to
-
- Figure 4: Usually try OTC medication first when child gets sick, by parent’s age, November 2017
- The opportunities
- Moms are command central when it comes to children’s health
-
- Figure 5: Managing children’s wellness, by parent’s gender, November 2017
- Free-from options are important
-
- Figure 6: Perceptions of free-from children’s medication, November 2017
- The frequency of ailments should inform brand’s formats and packaging
-
- Figure 7: Average occurrence of illness symptoms children experienced in the past year, November 2017
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Children’s health products market is stable; continued growth projected
- Convenience drives purchase location; retailers can offer parents more
- Most kids have health insurance coverage, some get the flu shot
- Unavoidable common illnesses positively impact market sales
- Number of US households with children dropping, effecting sales growth
- Obesity in children negatively impacts all aspects of their wellness
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Consistent market growth tied to the regularity of children’s ailments
-
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and fan chart forecast of OTC children's health products, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC children's health products, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Breakdown
-
- Convenience drives purchase location; retailers can offer parents more
-
- Figure 10: Total US retail sales of children's health products, by channel, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
Market Perspective
-
- Most kids have health insurance which improves access to care
-
- Figure 11: Types of medical treatment and vaccinations, by children with health insurance coverage, November 2017
- Half of kids get the flu shot
-
- Figure 12: Children’s health insurance coverage, wellness visitation, and vaccination, November 2017
Market Factors
-
- Kids get sick often
-
- Figure 13: Frequency of any illness symptom experienced in the past year, November 2017
- Severity of a flu season impacts children’s health product sales
-
- Figure 14: Seasonal flu severity, 2010-17
- One in five school-age boys is considered obese
-
- Figure 15: Prevalence of obesity among US children aged 2-11, by gender, 2015-16
- The consumer base for children’s health products is shrinking
-
- Figure 16: Households, by presence of own children, 2007-17
-
- Figure 17: US annual births, 2004-16
Key Players – What You Need to Know
-
- J&J’s pain relievers are the go-to; free-from claims offer growth
- Gut health remedies gaining momentum
- Familiar formats make health remedies more fun for kids
- Natural remedies challenge some mainstream brands
- Children’s allergy market is crowded
- Teething tablet recall casts a shadow on Hyland’s baby products
- A coordinated effort can clear out little noses
- Become part of the nighttime routine
- More kid-friendly content to help kids cope
What’s Working?
-
- J&J’s pain relievers are the go-to; free-from claims offer segment growth
-
- Figure 18: Multi-outlet sales of select children’s pain relief remedies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Parents are seeking natural cough relief
-
- Figure 19: Multi-outlet sales of select children’s cough remedies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Gut health remedies gaining momentum
-
- Figure 20: Multi-outlet sales of select children's probiotic supplement brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Pedialyte and rehydration are synonymous; digestive benefits growing
-
- Figure 21: Multi-outlet sales of baby electrolytes, by leading brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Kid-friendly lollipops make getting sick suck less
What’s Struggling?
-
- The commonness of a cold isn’t enough to bring in sales
-
- Figure 22: Multi-outlet sales of select liquid/tablet cold remedy brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Children’s allergy tablet sales dip amid nasal introductions
-
- Figure 23: Multi-outlet sales of select children's allergy tablet brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Hyland’s teething recall casts a shadow on brand’s baby products
-
- Figure 24: Multi-outlet sales of Hyland’s children’s remedies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
-
- Figure 25: Multi-outlet sales of select children’s oral pain relief remedies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Fickle kids, parent’s interest in natural challenge mainstay VMS brands
-
- Figure 26: Multi-outlet sales of select children’s VMS, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Next?
-
- Little noses need clearing; nasal brands offering suite of relief
-
- Figure 27: Multi-outlet sales of select sinus remedies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Baby chest rubs, part of a nighttime routine
- More kid-friendly content to help kids cope
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- Parents have a lot to manage; children’s development is most important
- Parents rely on the health advice from others
- Moms are central to managing children’s health, dads play a part
- Kids get sick, and get sick often
- Parents’ confidence in caring for their sick children could be bolstered
- Parents have medicine on hand; and rely on it first for treatment
- Parents are drawn to free-from claims more than natural remedies
Wellness Priorities for Children
-
- Parents prioritize developmental growth
-
- Figure 28: Priorities for children’s wellbeing, November 2017
- Parents focus on one side of child’s wellnesses: physical or cognitive
-
- Figure 29: Priorities for children’s wellbeing (any rank), by getting enough sleep, eating a well-balanced diet, getting exercise, and limiting screen time priority (any rank), November 2017
-
- Figure 30: Priorities for children’s wellbeing (any rank), by emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, and mental wellbeing priority (any rank), November 2017
- Moms and dads have different priorities
-
- Figure 31: Priorities for children’s wellbeing (any rank), by parent’s gender, November 2017
- Parents’ race and ethnicity influence priorities
-
- Figure 32: Priorities for children’s wellbeing (any rank), by race and Hispanic origin, November 2017
Sources for Health Information
-
- A medical professional’s guidance is essential to parents
-
- Figure 33: Correspondence Analysis – Sources of health information for children, November 2017
- Methodology
- Parents of infants want information; see value in a variety of sources
-
- Figure 34: Personal sources used for general health information for children, by child’s age, November 2017
-
- Figure 35: Valued sources of health information for children, by child’s age, November 2017
- Younger parents have a love/hate relationship with social media
-
- Figure 36: Perceptions of friends on social media as source for health information, by parent’s age, November 2017
Managing Children’s Wellness
-
- Regular wellness visits are the norm; mom is the scheduler
-
- Figure 37: Children go to regular wellness visits, by gender and race and Hispanic origin, November 2017
- Vaccination adherence is far stronger than hesitations
-
- Figure 38: Vaccination adherence and reservations perspective, by parent’s gender, November 2017
- Moms are the first line of care; but there’s more to it…
-
- Figure 39: Parent that takes care of sick kids, by gender, age, household income, and employment status, November 2017
-
- Figure 40: Mom and dad take care of sick kids (net), November 2017
- As kids get older, a healthy lifestyle for families gains importance
-
- Figure 41: Healthy lifestyle is important, by parent’s age, November 2017
Symptoms Children Experience
-
- Kids experience common and recurring ailments
-
- Figure 42: Frequency of specific illness symptoms children experienced in the past year, November 2017
-
- Figure 43: Average occurrence of illness symptoms children experienced in the past year, November 2017
- Older kids can describe nonvisual symptoms
-
- Figure 44: Child experienced stomach ache, sore throat, or aches and pains in the past year, by child’s age, November 2017
- Digestive issues peak when toddlers transition to solid foods
-
- Figure 45: Child experienced constipation, diarrhea, or rash in the past year, by child’s age, November 2017
Caring for Sick Children
-
- Just half of parents know how to help their sick child
-
- Figure 46: Methods of caring for sick children, by parents who know how to make child feel better, November 2017
- Asian and young parents most preemptive in treating oncoming illnesses
-
- Figure 47: Parents give health remedies when child starts to get sick, by parent’s age and race and Hispanic origin, November 2017
- Few parents turn to home remedies to treat sick kids
-
- Figure 48: Prefer to treat children’s ailments with a home remedy, race and Hispanic origin, November 2017
- Virtual health is gaining traction; pediatricians will be the key to use
-
- Figure 49: Parents would consider a virtual doctor visit, November 2017
-
- Figure 50: Perceptions of doctor/pediatrician, by parents who would consider a virtual doctor visit, November 2017
Treating with Children’s Medication
-
- Parents have medicine on hand; moms know where they are kept
-
- Figure 51: Parents have medicine on hand for when kids get sick, by parent’s gender and number of children, November 2017
- Older parents rely on OTC meds first
-
- Figure 52: Usually try OTC medication first when child gets sick, by parent’s age, November 2017
- Medication perceptions impact willingness to use OTCs
-
- Figure 53: Usually try OTC medication first when child gets sick, by parents’ attitudes toward medications, November 2017
- Younger parents need help deciphering symptoms
-
- Figure 54: Choose medication based on child’s symptoms, by parent’s age, November 2017
Attitudes toward Children’s Medication
-
- Parents are drawn to free-from claims more than natural remedies
-
- Figure 55: Perceptions of children’s medication, by child’s age, November 2017
- Efficacy is important to parents
-
- Figure 56: Perceptions of children’s medication, by select perceptions of children’s medication, November 2017
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
-
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
-
-
- Figure 57: Total US retail sales and forecast of children's health products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 58: Total US retail sales of children's health products, by channel, at current prices, 2012-2017
-
Appendix – Key Players
-
-
- Figure 59: Multi-outlet sales of children's health products, by segment, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
-
Back to top