Mail in the pharmaceutical and vitamin sectors

With the UK over-the-counter market (OTC) for pharmaceuticals worth £26bn and consumers becoming more health conscious, Mintel predicts that the market for vitamins and supplements will increase to an estimated £433m by 2016.

Using research by Ebiquity, Mintel, Nielsen Ad Dynamix and TGI, this 2011 MMC report analyses the current state of the UK pharmaceutical and vitamin supplement markets and pinpoints future trends.

It also profiles ad spend in both UK sectors and consumer buying behaviour to reveal the missed marketing opportunities – particularly among younger age groups.

Key findings include:

• The pharmaceutical sector’s ad spend  is reasonably steady; the spend of £304m for the period October 2010 – September 2011 was 5% down from a peak in 2007-08.

• In 2010, 50% of the pharmaceutical sector’s advertising spend was allocated to TV advertising. Press took 25% of total advertising spend and direct mail took 17%.

• Pharmaceutical consumers who buy three or more brands per pharmaceutical category are 111% more likely than the average person to be high responders to direct mail.

• Pharmaceutical direct mail in 2010 was largely aimed at the over 55 age group, which received 82% of all mailings.

• Heavy vitamin and supplement users (once a day or more) are 40% more likely than average to be heavy responders to direct mail.

• 55% of adults who are heavy vitamin and supplement users have responded in some way in the past 12 months as a result of the direct mail they’ve received.