Focus On Winter Remedies: 3 October

Focus On: Winter Remedies by Rob Brown 

Publishing: 3 October

Download the synopsis

Advertising deadline: 21 September

Submissions deadline: 21 September

The story

Winter remedies sales boomed with the arrival of Covid-19 on these shores. Shelves were stripped bare of paracetamol, decongestants and other over the counter medications as panic spread and the UK went into lockdown. Just how big was the sales boom and how was product availability impacted? Crucially, with fears over a second wave growing, what are manufacturers and retailers doing to ensure there are no shortages in the coming season?

Key themes

Overview: The key focus of this feature will be an exploration of the legacy Covid-19 has left on the market. What lessons have been learned in terms of production and supply chain? How has it impacted NPD and R&D? Has it driven different patterns of demand for certain products?

Prevention or cure: How have winter remedies manufacturers responded to soaring demand for products that prevent the spread of Covid-19, such as hand sanitiser and masks, and those that help build immunity? We’re looking to profile interesting new launches in this area.

Children: With Britain’s children finally returning to school, how are sales of remedies for children performing? What new products have been launched? Have brands seen a spike in sales over the back to school period?

Shopping patterns: We will be exploring how different retailers and retail channels are performing in this market, during the lockdown period and now. Did winter remedies experience the same rise in convenience shopping seen in grocery? Are shoppers stocking up in anticipation of the dreaded second wave?

Brands v own label: Received wisdom is that brands fare better when shoppers are actually ill and distress purchasing while own label does better when shoppers are buying remedies ‘just in case’ for their store cupboards. How has Covid-19 impacted the dynamic between brands and own label?

Online and Direct to Consumer retail: Many other grocery categories have seen a proliferation of direct to consumer offerings form suppliers in response to lockdown and the reduction in shopping trips. Suppliers also report booming sales through Amazon and online retailers. What’s happening in winter remedies?

Kantar data: Using Kantar commentary, we explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of the winter remedies sub-categories.

4 x innovations: We profile four new products or ranges that have not appeared in The Grocer before including launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.