NRT smoking cessation aids is expected to be one of the consumer health products least affected by COVID-19. Recent studies conducted by the European Commission and Eurobarometer on smokers’ attitudes towards tobacco products reveal that Bulgaria has the lowest numbers of ex-smokers per capita in Europe. In addition, the country has the highest average age of smokers who quit tobacco products. This is in line with the data identifying Bulgaria’s adult smoking prevalence as one of the highest…

Acetaminophen experienced considerable growth as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, with both adult and paediatric acetaminophen performing well. Concerns about COVID-19 led to panic buying in early March and continued stockpiling of certain medicines throughout the first half of 2020. In contrast, misleading information in the Czech media about the harmfulness of ibuprofen when treating COVID-19 had a strong negative influence on demand amongst Czech consumers during the year. Combined…

The impact of COVID-19 on digestive remedies has been relatively limited as demand is driven by basic need among people suffering from digestive issues. The competitive landscape was impacted more by the withdrawal of ranitidine-based H2 blockers from the market, including Zantac, with consumers opting for alternative products and other digestive remedies. Nevertheless, there was some panic buying in the first quarter of the year due to the expectation of lockdowns, social isolation and…

Dietary supplements experienced strong growth in 2020, boosted by stockpiling in March and April, with carryover in May for immunity boosting and cold/flu fighting dietary supplements such as Echinacea and Ginseng. Consumers also increased demand because of the benefits of dietary supplements when it comes to boosting immunity and overall health, as well as dealing with specific health issues such as anxiety and sleep problems caused by stress over COVID-19 and economic uncertainty.…

The home quarantine imposed across Bulgaria and the social distancing measures led to school and nursery closures for a large part of 2020, thus limiting the spread of all colds and flu along with COVID -19. Therefore, with a less severe cold and flu season compared with 2019, the demand for paediatric cough, cold and allergy remedies was lower. However, the unit price increase of these products still stimulated stable current retail value growth in 2020.

ALSO READ:…

Demand for NRT smoking aids is being fundamentally affected as the media and health authorities warn Canadians that research has identified smoking as increasing the risk of adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Even as regions reopen their economies with increased safety measures, a significant number of Canadians remain fearful over COVID-19. For example, surveys show that over half of Canadians plan to avoid visiting restaurants even as economies reopen. This heightened concern over COVID-19 is…

Retail sales of vitamin C have skyrocketed in 2020, as consumer awareness about the preventive benefits of vitamin C against cold and flu, and as providing immune support, increase in Bulgaria. The sales of vitamin C increased 3 to 4 times as a result of COVID-19, with consumers stockpiling the product in preparation for shortages. As a result, supply issues occurred in the March – April period, with demand and supply returning to normal in late spring 2020. It is likely that vitamin C will…

Demand for sleep aids was already strong prior to COVID-19 due to stressful modern lifestyles and anxiety over COVID-19, with rising economic uncertainty set to further fuel this trend. Sleeping issues were identified by health groups as a potential consequence of the pandemic. For example, the “Sleep On It!” campaign, launched in 2019 by the Canadian Sleep and Circadian Network (CSCN) and other national sleep groups, uses a dedicated section of its website to offer tips on sleep during the…

Demand for cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies increased dramatically in March and April 2020 as a result of stockpiling in response to concerns over COVID-19 and the cold/flu season. The extent of the rise in demand is highlighted by the fact that Benylin alerted consumers of shortages via its website, with the brand taking measures to maximise availability. Similarly, Quebec-based drug store chain Jean Coutu alerted e-commerce customers to expect order delays from warehouse…

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth in sales of herbal/ traditional products. Products using herbal ingredients have a positive reputation in Bulgaria as more natural and producing fewer side effects, meaning these products are likely to be increasingly preferred by consumers in 2020. A wider number of brand owners have launched combination dietary supplements in 2020, using a mix of herbal and non-herbal ingredients to appeal to consumers seeking a more sophisticated product. These…

Demand for eye care was already solid in Canada prior to COVID-19 due to recent strong allergy seasons and increased incidence of eye strains from growing digital device use. Consequently, COVID-19 had only a marginal impact on sales, although the fact that many consumers spent more time looking at screens for entertainment, study and work helped to boost sales.

ALSO READ:…

As a result of the onset of COVID-19, a wide number of fitness centres and gyms were forced to close in order to help limit the spread of the virus, damaging sales of sports nutrition products in 2020. In recent years, sports centres have been an important channel for purchasing sports nutrition products, with an explosion in the number of major chains of health and fitness clubs throughout Bulgaria. In particular, upmarket fitness centres featuring premium spa centres expanded in Sofia and…

As a result of the onset of COVID-19, a wide number of fitness centres and gyms were forced to close in order to help limit the spread of the virus, damaging sales of sports nutrition products in 2020. In recent years, sports centres have been an important channel for purchasing sports nutrition products, with an explosion in the number of major chains of health and fitness clubs throughout Bulgaria. In particular, upmarket fitness centres featuring premium spa centres expanded in Sofia and…

Sleep aids will be one of the fastest growing OTC products in Bulgaria in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated this already dynamic product, with the uncertainty, restrictions on freedom, financial challenges and an economic crisis nationwide as well as globally, placing a great amount of pressure on consumers. During the initial lockdown many consumers across Bulgaria lost their jobs as businesses went bankrupt, and many faced lonely months of isolation away from their support…

Consumer health is expected to face a challenging year in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. The initial spike in current retail value sales at the start of the year was a result of the newly introduced nationwide restrictions which incited stockpiling across the country as consumers stocked up on essential supplies. This strong current value growth was followed by a continuous drop in demand for consumer health products, largely as a result of lockdown restrictions which saw the closing of…

Herbal/traditional products is entering the mainstream in the Czech market, with store-shelves displaying a wide range of products in 2020. The other herbal/traditional dietary supplements category, which includes products such as chlorella, spirulina, young barley, and curcumin, has been particularly successful. Overall, dietary supplements dominates the landscape of herbal/traditional products. However, a recent trend has been the expansion of herbal and traditional ingredients from…

In response to COVID-19, many consumers turned to vitamins, both multivitamins and single vitamins, with households stockpiling in March and April against potential shortages and to limit the number of trips to stores, as well as to boost immunity and health. Demand in 2020 is expected to remain strong, despite stockpiling, as consumers seek to improve their health and wellness as a result of the pandemic. Jamieson Naturals, the leader in vitamins and dietary supplements, reported that it…

Cough, cold and allergy medication is expected to be one of the products to benefit the most from the COVID-19 pandemic. At the onset of COVID-19, many consumers began stockpiling medication as restrictions were put in place to remain at home. Those sharp increases in demand also coincided with a particularly strong cold and flu season in early 2020, with flu type A and B impacting children and the elderly in Bulgaria. These illnesses were characterised by frequent complications, prolonged…

COVID-19 has bolstered demand for eye care products in Bulgaria, with quarantine measures forcing more consumers to spend time at home and in front of screens. This has caused greater numbers of people to suffer from eye problems due to the increase in the amount of time spent on screens, as more consumers work from home and people entertain themselves during lockdown by watching films and playing video games. Eye strain and tiredness is a common symptom of spending too much time in front of…

Analgesics is expected to see a strong current retail value increase in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is likely to create a spike in demand, with higher sales related more to consumers stockpiling, and less to the treatment of ailments. As COVID-19 damaged supplies to essential products, with strict stay at home lockdown measures enforced from 13 March to 6 May, consumers began to stockpile important resources to make sure they weren’t left short. The increased health…