Content about Print

All the hype around H1N1 
that was so prevalent in 2009 is gone, leaving only the tough comparisons a year later. That makes the first half of the 
2010-2011 cough-cold season an H1N1 hangover with overall sales of $4.6 billion, representing a slight decline of 1.8%, for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 26, 2010, according to SymphonyIRI Group. What was missing in 2010 was the 2009 summer of sickness that reached a crescendo in September.

HAZLETON, Pa. — Troy Healthcare in January acquired the distribution of its Stopain brand, an external analgesic Troy has been manufacturing since 2002 that is already an up-and-coming pain-relief spray. The brand cracked the top 10 list of external analgesic rubs for the 12 weeks ended Dec. 26, 2010, moving into the No. 10 spot with $1.3 million in sales across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group data. SKU growth of 16.1% in that period also is outpacing category growth of 11.3%.


Gojo Industries this past fall reacquired its Purell hand-sanitizer brand from Johnson & Johnson and is currently putting the pieces in place to reassume a category leadership role for waterless hand washing.


The endeavor is not without its challenges. Today, hand sanitizers are a highly commoditized category. And though sanitizers certainly benefited from increased awareness associated with last year’s H1N1 pandemic, that awareness didn’t translate into sales; the $100-million-plus category is down 35.4% in 2010, according to SymphonyIRI Group data. 


DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens this month rounded out the pharmacy purchasing team led by Jeff Berkowitz, who joined the company in the fall as SVP pharmaceutical development and market access.


Consumers may have a bit more to spend for the 2011 back-to-school season, so retailers should tweak their merchandise plans to accommodate.


Perry James, an analyst at the NPD Group, said that over the past few years, dollar trends in school supplies have not kept pace with unit supplies. Consumers also have been waiting until the last minute to shop. “As the economy gets better, retailers should be careful about too many promotions late in the season,” James said.

Dollar sales in the snack/granola bar category have grown nearly 8% in the past year, according to Sue Viamari, editor of Symphony­IRI Group’s Times and Trends report.


“Growth is being driven by strong performance by nutrition/intrinsic health value bars and granola bars, which climbed 15.6% and 7% during that time period,” she said. Breakfast/cereal bars posted flat sales for the year.


SUPPLIER NEWS — Drug maker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to certain formulations of a GlaxoSmithKline drug used to treat cold sores. Valeant acquired the rights to nonophthalmic topical formulations of Zovirax (acyclovir) from GSK for $300 million through its Canadian subsidiary, Biovail Labs.



SUPPLIER NEWS — Marcal has reformulated its Small Steps line, which is made of 100% recycled paper, the company said. Marcal Small Steps paper towels now are stronger when wet, while Marcal Small Steps two-ply bath tissue is softer. The company also will reformulate its facial tissues.



Judging by the numbers, the wobbly economy largely has benefited the men’s grooming segment.


As previously reported by Drug Store News, the economy has resulted in solid sales — and even a trading up — in such segments as grooming/scissors. For example, Wahl Clipper stated in late 2010 that its “shining star” has been its Lithium Ion grooming kit, priced at $39.99.


That trend appears to be continuing, as many grooming/shaving scissors are experiencing double-digit growth, according to the latest 
SymphonyIRI Group data.



Americans are hard-pressed these days to call in sick, especially for something as innocuous as a cold or even the flu. A recent CareerBuilder survey found that nearly 72% of workers typically go to work when they are sick. Workplace pressures and “presenteeism” may be causing workers to go in under the weather, as more than half (55%) of workers said they feel guilty if they call in sick.


The CareerBuilder survey was conducted nationwide from Nov. 15 to Dec. 2, 2010, among more than 3,700 workers.


A recent Prestige Brands survey linked certain professions to a propensity for sore throats. The careers most commonly associated with sore-throat pain were singers (53%) and auctioneers (40%). Healthcare workers (47%) and teachers (37%) also were perceived to be at risk due to their potential exposure to airborne illnesses. Almost 3-out-of-4 of those sore-throat sufferers also were under the weather from a cold or flu.