Zyrtec, PL Cetirizine Boost OTC Allergy Meds Market

The launch of Zyrtec OTC and its private label equivalent, Private Label Cetirizine, in early 2008 triggered strong incremental growth in the over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medication market in the U.S., a new analysis by NielsenHealth and Wolters Kluwer Health reports.

According to Nielsen and Wolters Kluwer, the OTC oral/nasal allergy market grew by about 30% in the first half of 2008, compared with same period in 2007.

Like Zyrtec OTC, PL Cetirizine had rapid uptake, accounting for approximately one-third of the OTC cetirizine market’s patient volume during the spring 2008 allergy season.  Zyrtec OTC accounted for the remaining two-thirds of the cetirizine market’s patient volume, Nielsen and Wolters Kluwer reported.

Approximately 30% to 50% of PL Cetirizine’s business came from patients who are new to the allergy market, according to Nielsen and Wolters Kluwer.  Another 40% of PL Cetirizine’s patients switched from another medication — most notably, Private Label Loratidine, Claritin OTC, and Zyrtec OTC.

Like many OTC products, which typically lure consumers with lower prices, PL Cetirizine has offered patients cost savings.  Patients who switched to PL Cetirizine from any prescription or OTC allergy medication saved $1.56, on average, according to Nielsen and Wolters Kluwer.  Those switching from Zyrtec Rx saved an average of $6.19.

DEMO DRILL DOWN: Vitamins, Medications Sales Skew To Households With Older Members

American households headed by people age 65 and older spent 55% more on vitamins and 45% more on medications and remedies than average American households during the 52 weeks ending June 28, 2008, according to Nielsen.

Households headed by Americans age 65 and older account for 14.4% of all U.S. households.  These households represented 22.3% of vitamins product dollar sales and 20.8% of medications and remedies product dollar sales.

Other categories skewing to households with older people include pain remedies, canned fruit, and coffee, as well as canning/freezing supplies and floral/gardening supplies.

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Women’s Happiness More Recession Proof Than Men’s

As the world grapples with a global recession and financial markets remain volatile, many people are reminding themselves that money can’t buy happiness. Men however, beg to differ.

Results of a global happiness survey from The Nielsen Company reveal that men are happier with money, while women are happier with friendships and relationships with their children, co-workers and bosses.

“Because they are happier with non-economic factors, women’s happiness is more recession-proof, which might explain why women around the world are happier in general than men are,” said Bruce Paul, VP Consumer Research, US, The Nielsen Company.

The 51-country Nielsen Happiness Study, which polled 28,153 respondents online in May 2008, found that globally, women are happier than men in 48 of the 51 countries surveyed, and only in Brazil, South Africa and Vietnam were men found to be happier than women. Japanese women reported the greatest difference and are 15 percent happier than Japanese men. Women are also more optimistic about the future, scoring higher than men on predictions of their happiness in the next six months.

Globally, women were also happier with their sex lives although men were generally happier with their spouses. Japanese and New Zealand women reported the greatest difference in satisfaction with their sex lives.

View the full press release.

Read Retuers’ coverage of Nielsen’s findings.

Zyrtec OTC Launch Shakes Up Allergy Drug Market

Zyrtec isn’t the first prescription drug to make the switch to over-the-counter (OTC) availability.  But when McNeil launched the OTC version of its allergy medication in January 2008, Zyrtec’s prescription-to-OTC transition was hardly “typical,” according to a new analysis by NielsenHealth and Wolters Kluwer Health.

In the first six months following its launch (January to June 2008), Zyrtec OTC shook up prescription and OTC allergy medication markets in the U.S.   Prescription allergy drug sales declined sharply, while over-the-counter allergy drug sales increased significantly.

By June 2008, prescription sales of Zyrtec had declined to nearly negligible levels.  Meanwhile, the OTC form quickly gained acceptance, capturing almost one-quarter of the OTC allergy medication market — the same share held by market leaders Benadryl and Claritin OTC, which have been available for several years. 

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Marketers Set Their Sights On Obese Americans

Obesity is more prevalent in the U.S. than ever before, and marketers are taking notice.  Many are actively changing their strategies to create products and messages that appeal to this segment of the population. 

According to NielsenHealth, U.S. households with at least one obese member spend 9% more than the average American household on over-the-counter medications, 10% more on health and beauty care products, and almost 17% more on total medications and remedies. 

Obesity sufferers tend to live in low-income households, with incomes of less than $20,000/year, and are more likely to be middle-aged (45 to 64 years old).  These households tend to be located in less affluent towns and rural areas (39%). 

On average, households with obese members are more willing to buy generic or private label brands.  They also purchase 20% more low calorie carbonated soft drinks than the average U.S. household, and are more willing to buy prescription drugs from outside the U.S. in order to save money.

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In U.S., Price And Value Trump All When Buying OTC Meds

Still more data confirming the battered state of the U.S. economy: U.S. consumers are more price conscious than shoppers in other countries — even when their health is on the line.

According to a global survey conducted by Nielsen and the Association of the European Self-Medication Industry (AESGP), U.S. consumers place more importance on price and value when choosing over-the-counter (OTC) medications than consumers in other countries throughout Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Middle East. 

Thirty percent of U.S. consumers consider price to be important when choosing OTC products, while only 17% of global consumers do, Nielsen reported. Only Japanese consumers place more importance on price (33%).

And while just 15% of global consumers consider whether the product is a good value for money, one-quarter of Americans consider this factor being purchasing an OTC medication.

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America’s Future: Living To 100, Amid Abundant Diversity

By 2050, the number of people on in the U.S. living to 100 will be nearly 850,000 — 14 times what it is today, according to a new study from Nielsen.

The report looks at issues related to the baby boom and beyond, breaking down the global challenges for marketing to an aging audience. 

A Global Phenomenon
The U.S. is not alone.  During this same period, Japan’s over-65 population will double, while parts of Europe will reach a 1:1 ratio between working-age and pension-able citizens.  Even developing nations will face unprecedented mid-century surges in their elderly: India’s over-65 population will nearly triple alongside a six-fold spike in Chinese citizens celebrating their 80th birthdays.
 
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Pharma Ads: A Case Of The Blahs

Are drug advertisements losing their zing?

According to Nielsen IAG, this year’s pharmaceutical commercials have been far less memorable for consumers than drug ads aired in 2007, Brandweek reported Friday.

Nielsen IAG ranked the most-recalled prescription drug ads in 2007 and 2008, and found that consumer recall indexes for this year’s pharma ads were significantly lower than indexes for the most memorable prescription drug commercials in 2007.

“The overall average has come down. A high bar was set, but now it’s just not as high,” Fariba Zamaniyan, Senior Vice President, healthcare, Nielsen IAG, told Brandweek. 

Zamaniyan attributed the dip in consumer recall of pharma ads to new, more conservative advertising strategies adopted by pharmaceuticals companies eager to avoid FDA scrutiny. 

Wolters Kluwer Health and Nielsen To Provide Joint Healthcare Data

On Wednesday, Wolters Kluwer Health and Nielsen announced the creation of the Healthcare Consumer Informatics Alliance, which will provide data on consumers’ healthcare purchases, attitudes, and behaviors to healthcare marketers.

The Healthcare Consumer Informatics Alliance combines Nielsen’s knowledge of the consumer health and media space with Wolters Kluwer Health’s expertise in prescribed pharmaceuticals. 

Nielsen’s data assets include television and online ratings, consumer packaged goods marketing information, and others, while Wolters Kluwer Health brings de-identified longitudinal patient and dispensed pharmacy data. 

A joint consulting team, with members from both companies, has also been created.

View the full press release.

U.K. Smoking Ban Contributes to 6% Drop in Cigarette Sales

Bloomberg News reported that England’s smoking ban has contributed to a 6% drop in U.K. cigarette sales since it was enacted July 1, 2007, according to data released Monday by Nielsen.

British smokers bought 2.1 billion fewer cigarettes in the ten months through April 2008, Nielsen found, while sales of alcoholic beverages in bars declined by 8% during the same time period.

The findings suggest the smoking restrictions, which prohibit indoor smoking in public places, may have had a stronger effect on bar owners than tobacco companies.  According to Nielsen’s survey, more than two-fifths of Britons now go out to drink in bars less often than they did before the ban.