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Dawn Gay summarises the product and marketing innovation on offer in this season’s winter remedies

As soon as the clocks wind back, the key purchasing period for the cold and flu season kicks off. This lucrative category – now valued at around £400 million a year – is set to grow with a wave of new products to combat common winter woes.

McNeil Healthcare’s Benylin starts this 'sneezing season' with the launch of its new Chesty Cough and Cold Tablets. The cough brand, which boasts a 50 year heritage, has added a tablet format to target deep coughs, relieve symptoms of colds and provide relief ‘on the go’. Each tablet contains paracetamol (250mg), guaifenesin (100mg) and phenylephrine hydrochloride (5mg).

Forest Laboratories has announced a makeover for its Veno’s brand this winter, with a new design to appeal to younger people and families on a budget. Pharmacists can expect to see new packs with updated graphics and clearer messaging phased in throughout the season.

Shoppers spend a lengthy 56 seconds at a fixture choosing a cough remedy, compared to 43 seconds for eye care, 41 seconds for hair care, 39 second for oral care and 34 seconds for analgesics.

Forest’s group marketing manager Clare Young explains: “The new look will greatly increase impact on the shelf and with Veno’s being suitable for children aged two, three or 12 and over (depending on the variant), consumers will be able to quickly identify the product which most meets their needs and can be used by everyone in the family.”

A 100-year heritage

Ms Young also says that pharmacists can give valuable reassurance to cough sufferers. “Venos is a familiar household name with a heritage which spans well over 100 years, which adds to customers being comfortable using the brand to self-medicate. However, for young families, pharmacists can provide the added reassurance that they will walk away with an appropriate remedy, both for the cough being suffered, whether it be dry, chesty or tickly, and for use by the younger children in the family,” she adds. The new pack design will be supported with window stickers and shelf edgers in pharmacy stores.

The UK’s number two cough medicine, Covonia, added a new sugar-and alcohol-free medicine to its range in late September. Its marketing manager Ed Round says the sugar- free range has already been a “stunning success” in pharmacies. "This year we’re launching Covonia Chesty Cough Sugar-Free Alcohol-Free. The launch follows strong demand for cough remedies suitable for niche audiences and those with restrictive diets.”

The UK has a growing diabetic population and its Muslim population is also forecast to almost double to 8.2 per cent by 2030. Over 10 per cent of all cough liquid sales now fall into this sub-category, so it is important for pharmacists to stock sugar-free and alcohol- free products to meet consumer need and demand.

The product is being backed by a substantial media campaign, says Mr Round. “To support the launch, Covonia is investing in its largest ever national TV, press, PR and social media campaign to raise national awareness of the brand and drive footfall into pharmacies throughout the key winter cough and cold season. The recently launched Facebook page, Covonia UK, will help generate a more meaningful relationship with customers, whilst our trademark TV adverts and PR campaign will generate consumer awareness around the product launch.”

Colds and flu

Data from Reckitt Benckiser (RB) reveals that consumers are spending longer browsing cold and flu products than other category fixtures. For example, shoppers spend a lengthy 56 seconds at a fixture choosing a cough remedy, compared to 43 seconds for eye care, 41 seconds for hair care, 39 seconds for oral care and 34 seconds for analgesics.

Senior brand manager at RB Kate Sweeney says: “The cold and flu category is an important category for both pharmacy and grocery and it is crucial for retailers to get their offer right for their customers and make the most of the season.”

With this category at the forefront, RB has announced two new products in its top- selling Lemsip range this winter. The addition of Lemsip Cough for Mucus Cough Sugar & Colour Free, and Lemsip Chesty Cough Hot Drink means the range is now made up of five products.

RB marketing director Jerome Lemaire explains: “Lemsip’s hugely successful range of maximum strength cold and flu remedies has always provided retailers with a one-brand solution for relief from all the major symptoms of cold and flu. However, we know that only 48 per cent of people currently treat their cough symptoms, which is why in 2014 we are extending the range further in order to meet new consumer needs and provide retailers with a great opportunity to help more customers, increase sales and maximise profit.”

The launch is being supported by an advertising campaign, which breaks this month with a brand new TV advert. The campaign is part of RB’s overall £12 million promotional plans for Nurofen, Lemsip, Strepsils and Gaviscon, with a range of consumer TV, online and social media campaigns planned between now and spring 2015.

Sore throats

The UK’s top selling sore throat brand, Strepsils, is being backed by advertising this year to bolster its 25 per cent market share. The campaign, launched in October, highlights RB’s range of 11 lozenges. The advertising is aimed at 15 million consumers and will home in on treating sore throats early and providing stronger relief.

Another stalwart sore throat brand, 150 year-old Fisherman’s Friend, recently launched a new honey and lemon alternative to its successful lozenge range, which includes blackcurrant, cherry and lemon flavours. It is six years since it launched a new flavour. Original Extra Strong lozenges currently feature in the medicated confectionery category top 10.

“Honey and lemon flavours account for 18.2 per cent of all medicated confectionery sales in the UK,” explains Martin Stimson, UK area business manager for the brand. “What’s more, it stands out as the most popular fruit flavour with a 34.1 per cent market share. As a category leader it made total sense for us to introduce this classic combination to our current line-up of lozenges,” he says. Pharmacists will receive bespoke launch packs, point-of-sale materials and till-point sample towers with single-sachet samples to support the launch.

The brand will see a high profile slot on the Discovery Network and 300 hours of dedicated airtime until March 2015. Sponsorship also includes digital advertising in January and February 2015 on X-Box, Unruly and Sky Go, and an integrated campaign backed by social media, PR, sampling and in- store promotions.

The Hoff on coughs

Omega Pharma launched its Bronchostop range in September with a £2.5m campaign including trade promotion featuring David Hasselhof, national TV advertising and extensive pharmacy training. ‘The Hoff’ explains the advantages of Bronchostop to pharmacy staff and how it can “take the hassle out of any cough”.

Bronchostop, which is the number one cough brand in Austria, is now available as both syrup and pastilles and can be used to treat any type of cough. The sugar- and alcohol-free product is suitable for adults and children aged over 12 years and is non- drowsy.

Yianni Papadopoulus, marketing director at Omega Pharma, says: “We’ve seen over recent years there is an apparent confusion regarding what medicine will treat which type of cough, but with our Bronchostop Pastilles and Syrups set to take all of the hassle out of the problem, it will truly revolutionise the cough season.”

The natural edge

Potter’s Herbals, which produces a large range of natural winter remedies, including a cough remover, chest mixture, catarrh mixture and cold and flu relief, is currently applying for Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) licences for its range. Potter’s Herbals products now carry the accredited THR logo on their packaging.

Brand manager Lindsay Revill says it is a great area for pharmacists to get behind as it promotes the responsibility of the herbal medicine category. She explains: “The MHRA assesses crucial aspects such as the dosage and quality of the active medicinal ingredient
in the product and the registration shows the product has met the standards set on safety, quality and patient information.” Registered medicines have clear patient leaflets, which explain how they should be used, dosage, and potential side-effects.

“The introduction of the THR certification is great news for pharmacists as it means they now have a quick an easy way of identifying which products have met the safety and quality standards to be accredited with this THR signage on pack. This will help pharmacists to determine which products to recommend to consumers and to have a visual to communicate this message to consumers.”

Most Potter’s Herbals products received a THR licence in the early part of 2014 but, because they have such a large range of products, several are still being rated.
Vitamins manufacturer Quest has launched a new supplement to ward off winter ailments. Immune Biotix contains a range of immune-boosting ingredients, including beta glucans, garlic extract, lactobacilli bacteria, vitamin D, selenium, zinc and copper.

Sharon Morey, nutritionist at Quest Vitamins, believes that prevention is better than cure. She says: “Community pharmacists can play an important role by offering a range of preventative products to support immune health in the lead up to the cold and flu season, as a strong immune system reduces the chance of falling prey to opportunistic bugs.”

Human coughing, schlieren image. Schlieren photography is an imaging technique that is used to show changes in the density of fluids and gases such as air, caused here by the turbulence produced by the coughing action. The jet of air expelled by coughing projects infectious pathogens deep into the surrounding air.