The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7193 p487-492
13 April 2002

This article
Reprint
Photocopy

News summary

Related websites
IMS Health (www.imshealth.com)

Domestic OTC sales rise by 10 per cent

Sales of non-prescription medicines in the United Kingdom grew by 10 per cent at manufacturers' prices in 2001.

Total European OTC sales in 2001 were $15.3bn (£10.9bn), up 4 per cent from 2000, according to new figures from IMS Health. The European figure conceals wide variations from one country to another. The top performers in western Europe were Ireland (12 per cent), with the UK, Austria and Portugal close behind at almost 10 per cent. In eastern Europe, Hungary achieved 24 per cent growth in OTC sales.

Both European sales and growth were ahead of the North American market, which showed only 2 per cent growth to $12.8bn.

The fastest growing category world-wide was smoking cessation products, which grew by 5.9 per cent, although total sales ($550m) remain significantly below other major categories, such as cough, cold and respiratory products ($7.9bn), and tonics and other stimulants ($2.1bn).