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A shift in consumers’ shopping behavior to one that is focused on value, coupled with a desire to escape everyday stresses, likely helped drive the growth of bath and body scrubbers/massagers.


As shoppers increasingly have been watching their dollars, many have been creating an at-home spa experience versus spending their money at a pricey salon. This desire to create an at-home oasis has benefited the bath and body segment.


NEW YORK — The energy shot market is dominated by Living Essentials, which fields the most recognized shot — 5-Hour Energy, the shot you take to avoid that “2:30 feeling.” With an annualized $58.3 million in incremental sales across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), retail sales are certainly feeling a little caffeinated. 


Judging by many makeup looks on the runways of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2011 in New York, it was evident that lipstick was going to be in the shopping basket of many beauty mavens. That has proven to be the case.


According to SymphonyIRI Group, lipstick sales have experienced strong double-digit growth in the 12 weeks ended April 17. Topping the list, according to SymphonyIRI, were lip products that offer such innovation as long-wearing color like CoverGirl Outlast, Maybelline SuperStay and L’Oréal Paris 
Infallible Le Rouge.


Improving patients’ beliefs about their medication therapies may significantly improve medication adherence, according to a set of studies sponsored by drug maker Merck and presented last month at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research’s 16th annual international meeting in Baltimore.


Nail color continues to be a rock star in the beauty aisle, as many women have forgone the pricey salon and embraced the do-it-yourself trend, and as manufacturers increasingly launch innovative nail products.


“Lending a strong hand to the success of the makeup category was nail polishes, which [were] up by 20.4% in 2010 due to new product activity ad­apted to achieving at-home salon results and easy application,” consulting and research firm Kline & Co. recently stated in its Cosmetics & Toiletries USA 2010 report.


NEW YORK — What do you get when you cross-pollinate a grocery store, Bed Bath & Beyond and a pharmacy retailer? Prime Essentials Rx. Residents of New York’s Tribeca neighborhood now can check out the new one-stop shop located on Leonard Street and Broadway. Prime Essentials Rx aims to cater to the urban customer experience by combining the personal customer connection of a neighborhood specialty store with the product selection and delivery of a large “super” store, offering more than 3,000 products on its shelves.


Last month, the Food and Drug Administration approved Tradjenta (linagliptin), an oral Type 2 diabetes drug made by German drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly. The drug belongs to the class known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, which also includes Merck’s Januvia (sitagliptin). With diabetes affecting some 26 million Americans and growing rapidly, Drug Store News spoke with Wa’el Hashad, BI’s VP cardiovascular and metabolic disorders marketing, about what the approval of Tradjenta means for the diabetes market.


Drug Store News talked to Laurie Demeritt and Alissa Gould about Boiron’s homeopathy use survey. 


Drug Store News: What are the growth opportunities?


Laurie Demeritt: Right now we see [an] upward of 44% of mainstream consumers have to go outside of the places they normally shop to find more natural OTC products like homeopathics. Among our survey respondents, almost half — 46% — have used natural OTC products, and another 37% haven’t used them, but they’re interested in trying. 


Earlier this year, Pharmavite named Bill Tullis its new EVP sales, succeeding Skip Aldridge. Drug Store News caught up with Tullis to get his take on how the supplement industry is trending. 



DSN: What are the trends today — the hot product categories and users? 


SUPPLIER NEWS — Beiersdorf’s Eucerin skin care brand has embarked on a yearlong Skin First Movement to help educate women across the country on the importance of skin health as part of overall wellness. As part of the effort, the brand has joined forces with its first-ever Skin First Ambassador, food writer and founder of Apartment Therapy’s TheKitchn.com, Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan.


SUPPLIER NEWS — Carex Health Brands earlier this month announced the opening of its new corporate headquarters in Boston. The new East Coast headquarters supports the expansion of Carex’s marketing team, the company stated. 


“With the move to Boston, we are ramping up our team of driven and creative marketing professionals to elevate Carex Health Brands to an entirely new level of growth and success,” noted Matt McElduff, Carex president.