The report on health products looks into spending habits on pharmaceutical goods and outlines the fortunes of brands such as Boots and Superdrug.
39% of UK consumers say that when buying pain killers they look for the cheapest product, although 26% tend to opt for a ‘well known brand’. 84% of respondents consider branded non-prescription medicines to be effective at treating minor ailments, compared to 78% who consider non-branded goods to be just as effective.
When buying over-the-counter medicine, people are more likely to be swayed by price than by the advice of medical professionals. 1 in 4 consumers chose the cheapest brand available when making their last purchase, whereas only 1 in 10 sought the advice of a pharmacist and only 4% of consumers based their purchases on the advice of a doctor.
Commenting on the findings Research Director for SixthSense, James McCoy, said, “People are quite laissez faire when it comes to the purchasing of non-prescribed pharmaceutical products. Brand loyalty is generally low …we have no qualms with going for the quickest, cheapest and most convenient route to pain relief.”
Only 2% have bought their medicines online, but those who do are more likely to buy herbal then conventional remedies, such as St. John’s Wort. Less conventional remedies such as homeopathy and vitamin supplements are also popular online. The report recognizes a substantial market in alternative treatments, with 1 in 4 respondents believing that herbal remedies are effective in treating or preventing minor ailments.
Commenting further on the research, McCoy said, “The relatively high level of consumers buying herbal and homeopathic remedies online is interesting. People are willing to give different remedies a try and are often willing to go beyond their local chemist to find new products. A growth in online retailing in non-prescribed products might lead to a larger payoff for wholesalers of alternative medicines; with less personal interaction with qualified pharmacists, consumers may be willing to follow their own research and take a chance on alternative medicines.”
