Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- Overview
- Digestive health market challenged to grow
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of digestive health products, at current prices, 2013-23
- Market growth stifled by antacids, while stomach remedies offer a slight lift
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- Figure 2: Total US retail sales and forecast of digestive health products, by segment, at current prices, 2013-23
- MULO private label sales are outperforming the overall market
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- Figure 3: Multi-outlet sales of private label, by segment, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- The issues
- Changes in eating habits limiting the need for digestive health remedies
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- Figure 4: Reasons for using acid reducers less often, April 2018
- Young adults are driven by a sale, less impacted by brand
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- Figure 5: Store brand attitudes and behaviors, by age, April 2018
- Laxatives are a last resort for users
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- Figure 6: Laxatives are a last resort, by laxative users, April 2018
- The opportunities
- Appeal to Millennials with multifaceted remedies and product education
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- Figure 7: Any OTC digestive health or nausea product usage, by generation, April 2018
- Tap into benefits beyond digestive health to grow probiotic user base
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- Figure 8: Reasons for taking probiotics, April 2018
- Digestive health remedy usage pronounced among Hispanic Millennials
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- Figure 9: Product usage, by Hispanic origin, April 2018
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Digestive health market has stalled
- Antacids control the market, stomach remedies provide a boost
- Eating habits, functional claims impeding OTC digestive market growth
- Lack of treatment challenges market
- Appeal to Millennials’ holistic approach; Hispanics essential for growth
Market Size and Forecast
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- Static market challenged to grow
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- Figure 10: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of digestive health products, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 11: Total US sales and forecast of digestive health products, at current prices, 2013-23
Market Breakdown
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- Antacids dominate; stomach remedies give market a lift
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- Figure 12: Total US retail sales and forecast of digestive health products, by segment, at current prices, 2013-23
Market Perspective
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- Changes in eating habits limiting the need for digestive health remedies
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- Figure 13: Reasons for using acid reducers less often, April 2018
- Some drinks and food are delivering on functional digestive claims
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- Figure 14: Share of subcategory launches with a functional/digestive claim, May 2017-June 2018
Market Factors
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- Lack of treatment challenges growth
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- Figure 15: Ailments experienced in the last 12 months, but did not treat, April 2017
- Appeal to Millennials’ holistic approach to health
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- Figure 16: US population, by generation, 2013-23
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- Figure 17: Select product usage, by generation, April 2018
- Targeting Hispanics essential for growth
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- Figure 18: US population, by Hispanic origin, 2013-23
- Figure 19: Frequency of product usage, April 2018
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Leading digestive health brands struggle as private label sales shine
- Flavorful positioning and multisymptom relief making gains
- H2 blockers benefiting from PPIs’ negative press
- OTC loperamide regulations will result in sales declines
Company and Brand Sales of Digestive Health Products
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- Top companies continue to struggle as private label sales shine
- J&J is only leading company to post positive gains
- Aggregate growth in smaller companies outpacing market leaders
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- Figure 20: Multi-outlet sales of digestive health products, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
What’s Working?
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- Double down on flavorful positioning
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- Figure 21: Multi-outlet sales of TUMS, by product, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- Stomach remedies market multisymptom relief
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- Figure 22: Multi-outlet sales of Pepto-Bismol and Dramamine, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- H2 blockers benefiting from PPIs’ negative press
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- Figure 23: Multi-outlet sales of H2 Blockers, by leading brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
What’s Struggling?
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- PPIs are facing private label competition and negative headlines
- Store brands hit shelves, challenge branded PPI
- PPIs already suffering from declining sales
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- Figure 24: Multi-outlet sales of branded PPIs, by brand, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
What’s Next?
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- Abuse of OTC loperamide prompts regulation; sales declines to follow
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- Figure 25: Multi-outlet sales of stomach remedies and antidiarrheals, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Consumers take reactive approach to digestive discomfort
- Proactive digestive care garners stronger adherence
- Store brand digestive health remedies have a hold on the market
- New entrants to the acid reducer category driving up usage
- Laxatives are seen as a last resort
- Probiotic use is low but frequency is strong
Product Usage
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- Consumers are reacting to digestive discomfort
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- Figure 26: Product usage, by type of remedy (net), April 2018
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- Figure 27: Product usage, April 2018
- Adults aged 18-44 are targets for digestive health remedies
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- Figure 28: Product usage, by gender and age, April 2018
- Product use most pronounced among Hispanic Millennials
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- Figure 29: Product usage, by Hispanic origin, April 2018
Frequency of Use
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- Proactive digestive care garners strongest adherence
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- Figure 30: Frequency of product usage, April 2018
- Fiber supplement brands should tailor messaging by age
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- Figure 31: Frequency of fiber supplement usage, by age, April 2018
- Women may be unprepared to treat gas
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- Figure 32: Frequency of gas relief medications usage, by gender, April 2018
Store Brand Perceptions
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- Store brand purchasing varies by product type
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- Figure 33: Store brand purchasing, by product type, April 2018
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- Figure 34: Store brand trust and perceptions, by product type, April 2018
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- Figure 35: Brand and professional’s role in purchasing, by product type, April 2018
- Store brand digestive remedies hold significant share of the market
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- Figure 36: Multi-outlet sales of private label, by segment, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- Young adults are driven by price
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- Figure 37: Store brand attitudes and behaviors – Any remedy (net), by age, April 2018
- Hispanic adults have higher than average trust in store brands
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- Figure 38: Store brand attitudes and behaviors – Any remedy (net), by Hispanic origin, April 2018
Spotlight on Acid Reducers
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- Young adults new to the category driving increased usage
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- Figure 39: Change in use of acid reducers, by age, April 2018
- Change in diet and lack of need impacting acid reducer usage
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- Figure 40: Reasons for using acid reducers less often, April 2018
Spotlight on Laxatives
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- Laxatives are occasionally, if not rarely, used
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- Figure 41: Frequency of laxative use, by age, April 2018
- Laxatives are a last resort for users
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- Figure 42: Attitudes toward laxatives, by laxative users, April 2018
- Comfort with laxatives improves with age
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- Figure 43: Attitudes toward laxatives, by age, April 2018
Spotlight on Probiotics
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- Probiotic use is low, yet adherence is strong
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- Figure 44: Probiotic supplement use compared to any OTC digestive health product use, by gender and age, April 2018
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- Figure 45: Frequency of using probiotic supplements, by age, April 2018
- Consumers expect probiotics to be multifaceted
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- Figure 46: Reasons for taking probiotics, April 2018
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- Figure 47: Select reasons for taking probiotics, by age, April 2018
- Probiotics growth is strong; yet leading brands stall in MULO
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- Figure 48: Total US Sales growth and forecast of probiotics, at current prices, 2012-21(est)
- Brands with multifunctional, yet targeted, digestive health benefits experience growth
- Probiotics build on general wellbeing properties with immunity-boosting benefits
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- Figure 49: Multi-outlet sales of select probiotics products companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- Probiotic purchases are influenced by several factors
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- Figure 50: Important factors when purchasing probiotics, April 2018
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- Figure 51: Select important factors when purchasing probiotics, by age, April 2018
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- Figure 52: TURF analysis – Probiotics purchase influencers, May 2018
- Methodology
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 53: Total US sales and forecast of digestive health products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 54: Total US retail sales and forecast of digestive health products, by segment, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 55: Total US retail sales of digestive health products, by segment, at current prices, 2016 and 2018
- Figure 56: Total US retail sales of digestive health products, by channel, at current prices, 2013-18
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- Figure 57: Total US retail sales of digestive health products, by channel, at current prices, 2016 and 2018
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 58: Multi-outlet sales of antacids, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- Figure 59: Multi-outlet sales of laxatives, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
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- Figure 60: Multi-outlet sales of stomach remedies and antidiarrheals, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 61: Digestive health frequency self-assessment, by digestive product used, May 2017
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- Figure 62: Digestive health level of discomfort self-assessment, by digestive product used, May 2017
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- Figure 63: Table – TURF analysis – Probiotics purchase influencers, May 2018
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