Consumer Health

Uganda’s economy saw real GDP growth of 5% in 2023 and this provided a boost to sales of some consumer health products. Self-medication is driving growth in consumer health in Uganda as consumers are finding it easier and cheaper to purchase…

A high rate of inflation, averaging 30% in 2023, forced consumers to cut down on spending on non-essential items, and even to reconsider the food they purchased to reduce their expenditure. Rx medications continued to be widely purchased under the…

In 2023, urbanisation, population growth and health and wellness drove retail sales. Most consumers self-medicated as the cheaper option and due to limited access to doctors outside of key cities. An overburdened public health sector and expensive…

Demand for wound care is muted, compared with most other consumer health products in 2023. Consumers typically buy these products on a need basis, with only higher-income consumers keeping basic wound care items at home for potential emergencies. As…

Values sales continued to be low for weight management and wellbeing, but there was healthy growth. Obesity is a growing issue in Cameroon and this supported value and volume growth. Also, culturally, curvier women were traditionally perceived as…

With the fear of the pandemic subsiding and the escalating cost of living seeing consumers prioritising essentials, the demand for vitamins has witnessed a deceleration in growth. While still favoured by higher-income consumers, the majority of…

Paediatric consumer health registered moderate current value growth in 2023, partly supported by continuing population growth. Essential consumer health products such as cough, cold and allergy remedies, as well as analgesics, were the most popular…

Herbal/traditional product registered a marginal fall in current value sales in 2023. While the older generation have always favoured herbal/traditional products, among the younger generation, there exists a level of scepticism regarding their…

Poor drinking water is leading to serious digestion problems, with consumers often for instance suffering from diarrhoea, due to the substandard water supply. This is being further exacerbated by climate change, which is leading to increased water…

The growth of dietary supplements decelerated due to a shift in consumer behaviour back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns, characterised by reduced emphasis on vitamins and dietary supplements. Additionally, the escalating cost of living is placed…