Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- COVID-19: US context
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- OTC children’s health products gain despite less frequent illness
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- Figure 1: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Parents ramp up preventative healthcare
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- Figure 2: Total US retail sales of vitamins and minerals, at current prices, 2015-20
- Impact of COVID-19 on children’s health management
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- Figure 3: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on children’s health management, January 2021
- Opportunities and challenges
- Stabilize OTC remedy sales in periods of lower illness
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- Figure 4: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, 2019 and 2020
- Tap natural and functional ingredients to add value
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- Figure 5: OTC remedies claim drivers, November 2020
- Maintain interest in VMS after pandemic subsides
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- Figure 6: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, November 2020
- Answer concerns regarding sleep, anxiety and stress
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- Figure 7: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, November 2020
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- Families report less illness and adopt preventative health strategies
- Market expected to see solid growth in near term
- COVID-19 had varied implications by market segment
- The influence of seasonal flu
- Trends in family households
- Optimizing immune system and sleep health
Market Size and Forecast
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- Category produces gains despite kids being sick less often
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- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Spending on children’s health products rises in 2020
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- Figure 9: Average expenditures on children’s health products, 2015-20
- Future growth driven by parental interest in preventative health remedies
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- Figure 10: Total US sales and forecast of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-25
- The impact of COVID-19 on children’s health management
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- Figure 11: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on children’s health management, July 2020
- Lockdown
- Re-emergence
- Recovery
- Learnings from the last recession
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- Figure 12: Total US sales and forecast of OTC pediatrics, at current prices, 2007-2012
Segment Performance
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- Cough, cold and flu remedies account for largest share of market
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- Figure 13: Total US market share of children’s health products, by segment, 2020
- Pandemic fuels success in some segments for 2020
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- Figure 14: Total US retail sales of children’s health products, by segment, at current prices, 2015-20
- Majority of parents’ shop “other” channels for children’s health remedies
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- Figure 15: Total US market share of children’s health products, by channel, at current prices, 2020
- Figure 16: Total US retail sales of children’s health products, by channel, at current prices, 2018 and 2020
Market Factors
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- Incidence of illness
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- Figure 17: Seasonal flu severity in children, 2010-20
- The majority of children are learning at home and staying healthy
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- Figure 18: Learning/child care situations, November 2020
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- Figure 19: Attitudes and behaviors toward managing children’s health, November 2020
- Households with children continue to decline
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- Figure 20: Percent of households with children, 2009-19
- Millennials account for the majority of the parent market
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- Figure 21: Households with own children under age 18, by age of householder, 2019
- Unemployment spikes and confidence wavers as a result of pandemic
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- Figure 22: Consumer confidence and unemployment, 2000-October 2020
Market Opportunities
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- Immune-boosting remedies are here to stay
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- Figure 23: Gerber Facebook post, November 2020
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- Figure 24: Olly Facebook post, August 2020
- Figure 25: Zarbee’s Facebook post, December 2020
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- Figure 26: TURF analysis – claim drivers, November 2020
- Sleep health on deck
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- Figure 27: Children’s sleep remedies, November 2020
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Brands selling preventative and general healthcare remedies perform well
- Less cold/flu diminishes demand for brands competing in this space
- It's time for legacy brands to embrace social media
Market Share
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- Brands active in VMS, internal analgesics and electrolytes post growth
- Diversified brand portfolio helps companies stave off losses
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- Figure 28: Multi-outlet sales of children’s health products, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
Competitive Strategies
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- COVID-19 drives parents’ interest and sales of VMS
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- Figure 29: Multi-outlet sales of vitamins and minerals, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Flintstones: Iconic brand gets active on social
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- Figure 30: Flintstones Instagram post, September 2020
- Figure 31: Flintstones Facebook post, April 2020
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- Figure 32: Flintstones Facebook post, August 2020
- Mommy’s Bliss: Small brand built through social following
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- Figure 33: Mommy’s Bliss Instagram posts, January 2021
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- The majority of children use OTC pediatric and VMS products
- Illness prevention fuels use of VMS during pandemic
- Immune system health is a vital area of concern for kid’s wellness
- Parents open to treat with VMS, especially immune system health
- Claims of naturalness and immune system health imperative
- Format and brand are key OTC product purchase drivers
- Parents and kids have been sick less often this year…
- …but parents worry about COVID-19 and vaccines
Children’s Health Remedies Usage
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- OTC pediatric remedy usage declines
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- Figure 34: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, 2019 and 2020
- OTC and VMS remedies have equal penetration
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- Figure 35: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, November 2020
- Less affluent eschew VMS remedies
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- Figure 36: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, by household income, November 2020
- More kids, more germs
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- Figure 37: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, by number of children under 18 in household, November 2020
- Hispanics are less likely to use VMS remedies
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- Figure 38: Vicks BabyRub, November 2020
- Figure 39: Usage of children’s health remedies in the past year, by Hispanic origin, November 2020
COVID-19 Impact on VMS Usage
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- Pandemic prompts parents to embrace VMS
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- Figure 40: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, November 2020
- Moms say nothing’s changed, but dads indicate uptick in VMS usage
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- Figure 41: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, by gender, November 2020
- Older parents have their kids take VMS for immunity support
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- Figure 42: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, by age, November 2020
- Larger families switching to less-expensive VMS brands
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- Figure 43: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, by number of children under 18 in household, November 2020
- Hispanics begin taking VMS more regularly due to COVID-19
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- Figure 44: COVID-19 impact on the use of VMS, by Hispanic origin, November 2020
Health and Wellness Areas of Concern
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- Pandemic prompts focus on immune system health and social interactions
- Sleep supports other areas of health and wellness
- Energy, stress and anxiety levels are concerning for parents
- Traditional health areas yield lowest concern among parents
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- Figure 45: Health and wellness areas of concern, November 2020
- Dads concerned about kids’ energy, skin and bone health
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- Figure 46: Health and wellness areas of concern, by gender, November 2020
- Older parents more concerned about immune system health
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- Figure 47: Health and wellness areas of concern, by age, November 2020
Treatments for Areas of Concern
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- VMS is the go-to treatment to manage health concerns
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- Figure 48: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, November 2020
- Immune system health can be a gateway to treat other concerns
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- Figure 49: Zarbee’s Natural Cough Syrup, November 2020
- Figure 50: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, November 2020
- Dads open to a variety of treatment options
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- Figure 51: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, by gender, November 2020
- Young parents show diverse interest in treatment options
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- Figure 52: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, by age, November 2020
- Affluent parents lean into VMS
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- Figure 53: Treatments open to manage any area of concern, by income, November 2020
OTC Remedies Claim Drivers
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- Natural and immune system health claims invaluable in OTC remedies
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- Figure 54: OTC remedies claim drivers, November 2020
- Cleaner ingredients are important to moms
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- Figure 55: OTC remedies claim drivers, by gender, November 2020
OTC Product Type Purchase Drivers
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- Parents prefer gummy formats
- Name brands preferred over store brands in kids’ remedies
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- Figure 56: OTC product type purchase drivers, November 2020
- Moms find value in format; dads interested in brand and new products
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- Figure 57: OTC product type purchase drivers, by gender, November 2020
Attitudes and Behaviors toward Children’s Health
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- Less sickness despite pandemic
- Most parents likely to let illness run its course
- Insurance and vaccinations
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- Figure 58: Attitudes and behaviors toward managing children’s health, November 2020
- Dads more likely to look online and have reservations about vaccines
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- Figure 59: Attitudes and behaviors toward managing children’s health, by gender, November 2020
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- COVID-19: US context
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 60: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 61: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 62: Total US retail sales of children’s health products, by segment, at current prices, 2018 and 2020
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- Figure 63: Total US retail sales of children’s health products, by segment, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 64: Total US retail sales and forecast of cold, allergy, cough, nasal remedies, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 65: Total US retail sales and forecast of vitamins and minerals, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 66: Total US retail sales and forecast of internal analgesics, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 67: Total US retail sales and forecast of baby electrolytes, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 68: Total US retail sales and forecast of other children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 69: Total US retail sales and forecast of children’s health products, by channel, at current prices, 2015-20
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- Figure 70: US supermarket sales of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 71: US drugstore sales of children’s health products, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 72: US sales of children’s health products through other retail channels, at current prices, 2015-20
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- Figure 73: Average household spending on children and health, by segment, 2015-20
- Figure 74: TURF analysis – claim drivers, November 2020
- TURF Methodology
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Appendix – Companies and Brands
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- Company/brand sales by segment
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- Figure 75: Multi-outlet sales of baby electrolytes, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 76: Multi-outlet sales of internal analgesics, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 77: Multi-outlet sales of cold, allergy, cough and nasal remedies, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
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- Figure 78: Multi-outlet sales of others, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
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