Focus On Over The Counter (OTC) Treatments & Winter Remedies: 9 August

by Emma Weinbren (emmaweinbrenwrites@gmail.com)

Publishing: 9 Aug 2025

Advertising deadline: 25 July 2025

Submissions deadline: 18 July 2025

OTC and winter remedies has been the scene of plenty of innovation in the past year, with launches including what’s claimed to the UK’s “strongest ever” hay fever tablets and a new migraine relief brand. Why are we seeing innovation now? How successful has it been? And given that this is a tightly regulated market, how much scope is there for further innovation?

Sales performance: For this feature we will be looking closely at sales figures from NiQ and Kantar to ascertain how effective brands have been at winning share from own-label, which often sells the same products at a lower price. What role is NPD and marketing in brands’ performances? How difficult is it to cement a point of difference?

Retail share: This feature will explore how different retailers are managing the category in terms of ranging, promotions and balancing brands and own label product assortments. How are brands working with retailers to create excitement in the fixture? Which retailers are in strongest growth and why?

Innovation: The past year has seen plenty of innovation in OTC and winter remedies. This feature will explore the latest trends and how this is playing out in terms of product innovation. We will profile four new products or ranges, ideally ones that have not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.