Content about SymphonyIRI Group

Apparently less is more when it comes to mouthwash. According to SymphonyIRI Group data, the mouthwash segment has essentially been flat for the 12 weeks ended June 10, yet there proved to be one shining star in the mix: Listerine Zero.

The old adage “less is more” comes to mind when thinking of the Listerine Zero mouthwash by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products division of McNeil-PPC. The mouthwash offers a less intense mint flavor and is an alcohol-free formula. It contains four essential oils found in Listerine Antiseptic for bad-breath protection.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — It’s a landmark switch decision that brings diagnosis of a stigmatized disease state into the self-care arena. Orasure Technologies’ OraQuick In-Home HIV test will not only boost sales of a still-maturing home test kit set — for the 52 weeks ended June 10, sales of home testing kits were relatively flat at $58.4 million across food, drug and mass channels, according to SymphonyIRI Group data — but also will help drive more specialty business to retail pharmacy.

As reported by Drug Store News, toothpastes that aim to better deliver such 
value-added benefits as teeth whitening and relieving tooth sensitivity are resonating with consumers, so the lift in sales of such products comes as little surprise.


According to SymphonyIRI Group, sales of toothpaste were essentially flat for the 12 weeks ended June 10 at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart). However, those products that experienced double-digit sales gains included Sensodyne ProNamel (up 30.8%) and Crest 3D White (up 22.2%).

The most recent numbers show that sales of depilatories continue to be on the rise, which actually comes as little surprise given not only the time of year, but also the innovative products hitting the market.


Sales of depilatories rose about 8% to more than $31 million during the 12 weeks ended June 10 at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group.


Sales of vitamins, totaling almost $3.6 billion, were up 2.7% for the 52 weeks ended May 13, according to SymphonyIRI Group data across food drug and mass (excluding Walmart).


And according to a recent TABS Group analysis, that growth came despite the percentage of U.S. vitamin users in 2012 decreasing from 71% to 66% — trade-ups, price inflation and the increased use emanating from current buyers purchasing more vitamins were the drivers behind today’s growth, said Kurt Jetta, TABS Group CEO.


DENVER — Another NACDS Marketplace is nearing an end, and as I think about all of the beauty products I’ve seen this year on the show floor, I come away with this thought: Beauty is not just about making women (and men), well, beautiful. But it is increasingly about providing consumers with solutions that will save them time and money, and, perhaps even more importantly, provide value.

CHICAGO — Products and services targeting the Hispanic market will realize much success in the coming years, noted a recently published SymphonyIRI Group “Point of View” report that outlined the growing opportunity in targeting that demographic.

And this rapidly growing group is expected to wield $1.3 trillion in purchasing power through the end of this year.
Hispanics, as a group, spend nearly 8% more on consumer packaged goods than any other population, and have particularly strong spending in the mass merchandise and club channels, the report noted.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Good news for retailers and manufacturers of back-to-school supplies! A recent PriceGrabber survey found that nearly half of U.S. shoppers plan to spend more dough this BTS season. But wait, there is a catch: The study also found that they don't plan to spend it all at once.

(THE NEWS: More consumers plan to boost spending during BTS season. For the full story, click here)

CARSON, Calif. — The energy shot business in the mass market still is dominated by one player — Living Essentials’ 5-Hour Energy has almost 90% dollar share — but Sato Pharmaceutical, which boasts its Yunker Energy as the No. 1 energy shot in Japan, is looking to challenge that domination with the launch and support behind its Yunker Energy product across the United States. The overall category was up 9.3% to $194.5 million across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group data.


A recent study by market research company the NPD Group on the men’s grooming market found that more than 9-in-10 men are using some sort of grooming product today, whether it is a skin care, shave or hair care product. In looking at recent sales data from SymphonyIRI Group, the grooming/
shaving scissors segment undoubtedly is a shining star among guys.


Sales of grooming/shaving scissors at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart) soared nearly 24% to almost $360 million during the 52 weeks ended April 15, according to SymphonyIRI Group.


COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y. — Cirrus Healthcare Products recently added a little pediatric pizzazz to its line of earplugs for swimming and sound protection with two new character licenses — SpongeBob SquarePants and Hello Kitty.


Sales of ear care products were up 3% to $47.2 million across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart) for the 52 weeks ended April 15, according to 
SymphonyIRI Group data.


The ultra soft earplugs employ the same technology as the antimicrobial earplug BioEars — soft silicone earplugs that use ACTIValoe.


Whether women are sporting poker-straight hair, rocking sexy beach waves or perfecting soft, elegant curls, it typically requires several styling products to achieve the look and lock it in place. These trendy looks are spelling a bump up in sales in the mass market and an onslaught of new products on shelves.


Sales of hair spray/spritz at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart) rose more than 1% to about $422 million during the 52 weeks ended April 15, according to SymphonyIRI Group. During the same period, sales of gel/mousse climbed nearly 2% to about $649 million.