Mail in the pharmaceutical and vitamin sectors

The global over the counter market (OTC) for pharmaceuticals is worth £64.3bn and the vitamins sector is also strong, with Mintel predicting that the market will increase by 10% to an estimated £437m by 2014. 

This 2009 MMC report takes a cross-sectional look at the pharmaceutical and vitamin supplement markets using data from Billetts, Nielsen Ad Dynamix, TGI and Mintel. It shows that the explosion in over-the-counter remedies has not been matched by a similar increase in sector-wide marketing. 

Key findings include:

• The £700m minor ailment marketplace shows continued growth due to increases in product availability and a consumer tendency to self-medicate.

• Heavy pharmaceutical consumers are 47% more likely to be heavy responders to direct mail than the average person.  

• Chemists face competition from grocery stores, own-label products and the internet. At the same time chemists are spending less on advertising.

• 51% of adults who are heavy vitamin and supplement users have responded to direct mail they have received in the past 12 months.

• The smaller vitamins and supplements market is experiencing a drop in sales but long term trend predictions are set at 10% growth.  It faces scepticism from younger age groups and general confusion about product choice.