UK OTC MEDICINES MARKET GROWTH

In the UK, a series of changes in the over-the-counter medicines market has moved the cost burden from the National Health Service to the individual by increasing the amount of self-medication. With products being more widely available without prescription, sales of OTC medicines have increased markedly, at a rate of almost 8% over the last five years, states a new report, entitled UK OTC Remedies 1992, from Datamonitor.

British people spent L 438 million ($757.7 million) on various OTC remedies in 1991, and this is expected to increase to L 508 million by 1996. On a per capita basis, the report notes that spending was L 9.43 in 1991, a massive rise of nearly 35% on the 1987 figure of L 6.99. *t Category Mkt Size CAGR* L Million 1987/91 -------------------------------------------- Analgesics 148.0 9.49 Cough/cold 152.0 6.53 Stomach remedies 75.4 7.45 Muscular/rheumatic 19.7 7.78 Throat remedies 18.0 6.78 Laxatives 25.0 10.12 -------------------------------------------- *Compound annual growth rate % $t

Stress levels have become a major health concern in the past decade, with the onset of headaches being a major symptom. This has had a direct impact on the volume of analgesics sold, the report says. The market was valued at L 148 million in 1991, growing at an annual rate of 9.5% over the 1987/91 period, and with growth expected to continue strongly.