In this Issue

ALBANY, Ore. — At this year’s NACDS Total Store Expo, Tec Laboratories is introducing a new Licefreee Kit that includes a gel, a patented nit comb and a maintenance shampoo that will retail for a suggested $24.99. “Parents like the idea of having something to use after they’ve treated for lice,” noted Larry Burris, national sales manager at Tec Laboratories.

(To view the full Category Reviews, click here.)

“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” last year lampooned the allergy industry for claiming that 2015 was the “worst allergy season ever.” Just as 2014 was the “worst season” before that, and 2013 the “worst season” before that. And on and on as far back as 2008.

As millennials have cemented themselves as the largest generation by population at 75.4 million, outnumbering baby boomers for the first time, the retail industry has been inundated with insights about their shopping habits.

According to Kantar Retail’s Nicole Santosuosso, the uptick in information and insights about millennials has obfuscated the ways millennials are ushering in fundamental changes in how all consumers shop.

PARKER, Colo. — Private labels combined to be the fifth-largest “brand” in lip balm, according to IRI. Private-label volume has grown more than 25% over the past two years.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It’s already one of the better selling vitamins on the shelf with $135.1 million in sales on 19.6% growth across total U.S. multi-outlets, according to IRI for the 52 weeks ended May 15. But not a company to rest on its laurels, Bausch + Lomb introduced a new and improved PreserVision AREDS 2 Formula + Multivitamin.

Earlier this year, WebMD surveyed 30,000 WebMD users to ascertain the OTC buying behaviors and preferences of three critical consumer segments — seniors, today’s moms (Gen X) and millennials.

The spike in eyebrow makeup sales can be traced to a petite Romanian immigrant who became Beverly Hills’ most sought-after eyebrow guru. Although Anastasia Soare’s Anastasia Beverly Hills products aren’t available in mass, her magic with brows is credited with waking up the entire category.

Sales across the overall eye care and contact lens care categories generated $1.8 billion across total U.S. multi-outlets for the period ended May 15, representing growth of 2.4%. And dry eye continues to be a significant driver behind that growth, whether those dry eyes are caused by looking at a computer screen or smartphone all day or if there’s an underlying medical condition.