Disease Snapshot: Consumer Impact of Seasonal Influenza in the US

The biggest determinant of how severe a flu season will be (and therefore how OTC sales will be affected) is the vaccine’s match with the circulating strain

Beyond trends in consumer preferences, the single biggest determinant in how severe a flu season will be (and therefore how much consumers will spend on their “basket” of flu products), is how closely the annual vaccine matches that year’s dominant circulating strain of flu. In a high match year, sales of flu products decline, and in a low match year, sales of flu products surge in response.

Only about 62% of US consumers consider an annual flu vaccination as necessary for their health

Despite the fact that vaccines for seasonal influenza are readily available and commonly offered at no cost to the consumer, only about 62% of US consumers consider getting a flu vaccination as necessary for their health. Those who do not get a flu vaccination report that their main reasons for not doing so include not believing flu to be a serious concern and not believing that the vaccine works.

US consumers have a “basket” of goods they consider essential “must haves” for flu season, with women finding more products essential than men

During flu season, US consumers generally consider a set “basket” of goods essential to maintaining their health and controlling their symptoms, including cough and cold medications, facial tissues and hand sanitisers, among others. More women consider these products as “essential” than men do, though there is no strong evidence that women get sick more often than men, or suffer worse symptoms.

Overall, US consumers prefer combination cough/cold products that can address multiple symptoms at once

Within the category of cough, cold and allergy medications (CCAs), US consumers spend the most on combination products, totalling more than USD3.2 billion in sales in 2016. US consumers are drawn to the convenience that combination products offer by addressing more than one symptom at once in the same product.