Abstract
Why buy this report
- Get insight into trends in market performance
- Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change
- Identify market and brand leaders and understand the competitive
environment
Product coverage
Adult mouthcare; Allergy care; Analgesics; Calming and sleeping products;
Child-specific OTC healthcare; Cough; cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies;
Digestive remedies; Ear care; Emergency contraception; Eye care; Medicated
skin care; NRT Smoking cessation aids; OTC obesity; OTC statins; Vitamins and
dietary supplements; Wound treatments
Executive summary
Modest growth in 2005
OTC products in Italy recorded modest value growth in 2005. Smoking cessation
aids was the most dynamic product type, sales benefiting from the ban on
smoking in public places, which came into force in January 2005. Cough, cold
and allergy remedies also performed quite well, with sales boosted by a
notable flu outbreak, which affected sales across the market as a whole in
2005. Wound treatments also posted healthy value growth, as sales were driven
by the launch of spray plasters, which command higher unit prices.
Increasing role played by self-medication
Italian consumers are increasingly favouring self-medication. There are a
number of reasons for this trend. A key role is played by the greater quantity
of information that is available through the Internet and mass media. In
addition, increasingly hectic lifestyles led by consumers in Italy favour
self-medication, as this enables them to save time by not seeing a doctor.
Having the chance to act as soon as the symptoms begin, thus saving further
pain and discomfort, is another factor behind the growing success of these
products.
Bayer -- leader in Italy
Bayer confirmed its leading position in the Italian OTC healthcare market in
2005, benefiting from a good performance of its Lasonil brand in topical
analgesics/anaesthetics. ACRAF-Gruppo Angelini ranked second, seeing its value
share grow thanks to a robust performance by its Tachipirina brand in
analgesics. Whitehall maintained its third position, even though it saw its
share decline. This was mainly due to a poor performance from its Polase brand
in vitamins and dietary supplements, where the company has its largest
presence.
Chemists/pharmacies maintain monopoly
Chemists/pharmacies continued to maintain their monopoly or near monopoly
across most OTC healthcare sectors in Italy as, in line with Italian law,
pharmaceutical products must be distributed through this retail format. Only
vitamins and dietary supplements, acne treatments (in medicated skin care) and
wound treatments represent exceptions to the monopoly held by
chemists/pharmacies, as these products can be sold through health shops and
supermarkets/hypermarkets.
Modest expected growth
Sales of OTC products are predicted to continue to grow over the forecast
period. Overall, the market is likely to deliver a good performance as a
result of budgetary constraints made by the Italian Government, in an attempt
to cut public expenditure on reimbursable medicines. However, the introduction
of law number 149 in 2005 will have an impact on the performance of the OTC
healthcare market, particularly until 2007, which is the year when unit prices
can be increased again. The law also allows chemists to make up to 20%
discounts on non-prescription drugs, which should help promote the use of OTC
products during the forecast period, boosting demand.
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