Latin America

Retail volume sales of analgesics rebounded in 2023, following a two-year period of decline. While the COVID-19 pandemic boosted demand for acetaminophen (paracetamol), which was the only analgesic recommended by the government to alleviate the…

While analgesics performed well during the pandemic, they has returned to more moderate growth now that the threat has subsided. In 2023, analgesics is expected to register moderate current value growth, though constant value sales are expected to…

Analgesics is set to maintain steady current value growth in Brazil in 2023, and will remain the largest category within OTC, with a 40% share of value sales. The consumption of analgesics is mainly related to general pain, fever, and the relief of…

In 2023, acetaminophen continues to lead sales of analgesics in Chile, whilst also experiencing the highest growth rate in the category. This growth has remained steady since the onset of the pandemic, where acetaminophen became the preferred choice…

After the spike in demand for systemic analgesics in the period, 2020 to 2021, driven by COVID-19 and then by the need to relieve reactions to vaccination, in 2022 demand tended to stabilise. However, adult acetaminophen and combination analgesics…

Rising inflation has caused consumers to be increasingly stressed in 2023, with rising price points and ongoing economic uncertainty negatively impacting lives. This ongoing uncertainty has led to an increase in physical discomforts; often in the…

Analgesics has not seen a positive performance in 2023 as the height of the pandemic has passed. During the pandemic’s peak, consumers were buying up analgesics at a rapid pace to treat fevers, aches and other symptoms associated with acute…

Pharmacies continue to have significant influence over the value sales of analgesics in Ecuador. For instance, in lower income neighbourhoods, pharmacies are generally stocked with generics, whereas in wealthier neighbourhoods, mainly branded…

Analgesics is set to see a decline in sales in 2023 as consumers have migrated away from aspirin in an uncertain economic environment and sought to prioritise household essentials, while turning to other categories to treat basic ailments such as…

In late 2022 and into early 2023, a convergence of COVID-19, seasonal flu, and heightened influenza cases created what the media termed a "tripledemic," impacting Mexico, the US, and Central American nations. While Mexico did not experience the same…

Analgesics benefitted from the era of COVID-19, as consumers sought out pain relief such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, both of which saw extensive coverage in the media as low-cost products that could treat symptoms of the virus quickly and…

Though current value sales are expected to rise, constant value sales are expected to fall, as continuing rising operating costs cut into profitability. In 2023, with concerns about COVID-19 abating, demand for analgesics reduces to more normal…

The briefing introduces the Cities Households Necessities Spending Index. The index ranks 1,075 cities by household expenditure on non-discretionary items, namely food, housing, and clothing and footwear. This analysis focuses on 160 major cities.…

During 2023, Argentina was plunged into an economic crisis, with the rate of inflation soaring to more than 100%, one of the highest in the world. With the country already struggling to comply with the conditions of a loan package from the…

Bolivia has managed to protect itself to a large extent from inflation by continuing to have a fixed exchange rate against the dollar. However, there has been challenges for the economy in 2023, with sharp falls in foreign currency reserves and this…

Consumer health in Brazil is expected to close 2023 with double-digit growth in current value terms for the third consecutive year. While in previous years, the COVID-19 pandemic boosted demand for cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies, as…

Consumer health in Chile experienced a notable slowdown in value growth in 2022 compared to the previous year's performance. In 2021, the pandemic-induced liquidity in the local market and the shift towards preventive habits among consumers drove…

In 2023, Colombians returned to their familiar routines, with increasing social activity and hectic lifestyles leading to an increase in cases of cold and benefiting most OTC categories. However, the opposite trend is being observed in vitamins and…

In 2023, increased socialising and the return to post-pandemic habits support the growth of several OTC categories. However, high inflation and a fluctuating exchange rate continue to create uncertainty. Inflation in Costa Rica was 8.27% in 2022, the…

Despite persistent inflationary pressures in the country and wages that have not yet caught up with market conditions, consumer health recorded growth in 2023. Growth was supported by solid categories, including cough, cold and allergy (hay fever)…

Ecuador is expected to register only a slight increase in current value sales in 2023. Ecuador is grappling with rising crime rates and political instability, with runoff elections scheduled in October. This is all leading to economic uncertainty and…

Sales growth of consumer health in El Salvador in 2023 varied across categories. While OTC performed well, growing at above inflation, preventive health categories such as vitamins, dietary supplements and weight management recorded significant…

Consumer health has seen demand dampened by consumers being confronted with very high inflation. The rate of 9.2% in 2022 was the highest experienced in decades. As a result, more consumers have been forced to prioritise household spending on…

Consumer health in Honduras experienced a year of growth in value terms in 2023 that was in line with the country's inflation. Categories such as analgesics, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies, dermatologicals, and sports nutrition…

Emerging from the pandemic, Latin America moved into a period of high inflation, with both factors hitting consumer health sales in 2022. The large Brazilian market was facing new health challenges in the form of arboviruses, especially dengue, in…

In 2023, after three years of placing health at the forefront due to the pandemic, Mexicans have finally found some respite and are shifting their focus away from health concerns. While the public healthcare system grapples with supply shortages,…

Consumer health sales grew moderately in 2023 as consumers prioritised their spending on essential goods over preventive health. As a result, vitamins and dietary supplements and weight management and wellbeing were the most affected. However, sports…

Consumer health declined in volume sales while retail value sales grew below inflation in 2023. This was mainly due to significant falls in the vitamins and dietary supplements and weight management and wellbeing categories while sports nutrition and…

Consumer health shows variable recovery in 2023, with an ongoing return to the normalisation of sales patterns following the atypical period of the pandemic. Challenges, however, continue, such as the departure of President Castillo's government, in…

The picture is fairly positive in 2023, with constant value sales expected to rise slightly and inflationary pressure easing. However, rising prices are still an issue and the overall economy is expected to register a slowdown in growth.

Retail sales of cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies saw another year of healthy growth in constant value terms in 2023. With the resumption of pre-pandemic lifestyles, including a return to work, school and social activities, consumers…

Seasonal flus have returned, as people mix together once again , post pandemic, and cough, cold and allergy (hay fever remedies) are expected to register moderate current value growth, though constant value growth will be minimal, as rising costs hit…

In 2023, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies is set to maintain dynamic current value growth in Brazil. In this year, the conclusion of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for COVID-19, as declared by the World…

Cough, cold, and allergy (hay fever) remedies in Chile is experiencing remarkable growth for the second consecutive year in 2023, both in terms of volume and value. This upward trend can be attributed primarily to the return to normalcy following the…

In 2022, demand for cold, cough and allergy (have fever) remedies soared, as a result of the atypical increase in flu cases, as social distancing, handwashing protocols, and the use of face masks were totally lifted in 2022, facilitating the spread…

At the end of 2022, there was an increase in the need to treat cold and flu symptoms. This was driven by the return of socialising following periods of social distancing, increased hand washing and the wearing of face masks throughout most of 2020…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies are among the most popular consumer health items in the Dominican Republic and are experiencing further growth in 2023 despite higher unit prices resulting largely from persistent inflationary pressures…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies are expected to register a decline in value sales. Value sales are now at more normal levels, as concerns about the COVID-19 virus have abated. In addition, Ecuador is grappling with rising crime rates and…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies are widely consumed consumer health items in the Guatemalan market. These products have established broad distribution throughout the country, with products available throughout the modern and traditional…

In early 2023, a sixth wave of COVID-19 coincided with an upsurge in cases of the common cold and influenza, creating a "tripledemic" felt across Mexico, the US, and Central American countries, with Mexico experiencing a milder impact. This scenario…

Consumers have been returning to doctors’ surgeries in the post-pandemic landscape, thus hindering the sales of OTC medicines which they are instead accessing via prescription. This is noted to be the case with antihistamines, for example, along with…

With value sales of cough and cold and allergy ( hay fever) remedies reducing to more normal levels. as concern about COVID-19 abate, there is expected to be a decline in volume sales in 2023. The exception being medicated confectionery. Along with…

Retail sales of dermatologicals saw a second year of healthy growth in constant value terms in 2023. The category suffered a decline during the pandemic, when consumers spent more time at home and were therefore less exposed to environments which…

With society operating normally once again, after the pandemic, visits to doctors in relation to skin conditions have increased. This is seeing products such as topical antifungals, vaginal antifungals, cold sore treatments, and haemorrhoid…

Dermatologicals is set to maintain a healthy growth trajectory in current value terms in Brazil in 2023, in line with the increase recorded in 2022, driven mainly by price rises. The pandemic years were marked by a reduction in Brazilians’ purchasing…

Dermatologicals maintain a healthy growth trajectory in line with figures recorded in 2022, retaining significant value sales that surpass pre-pandemic levels. While this category typically demonstrates notable stability and does not exhibit…

Dermatologicals is expected to see higher value growth in 2023 than in the previous year. Value growth is partly being driven by escalating prices and partly by people returning to in-person medical consultations, which lead to more recommendations…

As consumers face stress due to economic uncertainty and skin imbalances after COVID-19, many suffer from hair loss, helping category growth. While some consumers opt for dietary supplements to avoid hair loss, others turn to shampoos or other…

Despite the challenging economic conditions affecting the country, consumers continue to purchase a variety of dermatological products as awareness about treating certain conditions increases. Categories such as haemorrhoid treatments, medicated…

Medicated shampoo is expected to register the highest current value growth in dermatologicals in 2023, with the big winner being Genommalab’s Medicasp. This brand has significantly increased value share over the review period. With substantial…