In this Issue

In the next 10 years, the retail landscape will look and feel much different than it does today. “You’re going to be looking at a world that, instead of [retail] channels, there will be points of influence and methods of fulfillment,” Bryan Gildenberg, chief knowledge officer at Kantar Retail, said during a two-day drug channel workshop Kantar hosted in May. “Where can I influence shoppers irrespective of where the buying takes place, and how do I fulfill that in a way where I can still keep my operations efficient and make money?”

Lip color is the sexy part of the category — especially the onslaught of dark hues and glossy finishes dominating the market. But the real growth right now is in treatments. Whether it’s the drying effect of the new matte finishes or just abuse from the weather, lips are in need of moisturizing.

More vitamins, minerals and supplements were sold online so far in 2016 than have been sold through a Walmart store, TABS Analytics reported earlier this year. According to the TABS Analytics analysis, $2 billion in VMS products were sold online vs. $1.7 billion at Walmart, $1.3 billion at Costco and $1.2 billion at CVS Pharmacy.

The window of opportunity to influence an OTC product purchase today is shrinking fast as more shoppers turn to the Internet on their desktops or smartphones to research their health conditions, WebMD’s Jennifer Willey, VP consumer strategy and partnerships, shared with Drug Store News.

Drug Store News caught up with Ūnomi founder and CSO Pam Helmly for a rundown on the brand and how it will change personalized wellness.

The nasal spray segment is up 2% from the previous year in the drug channel. Nasal spray segment leaders Afrin (Bayer), NeilMed and private label have all increased sales in the last year. Private label nasal sprays and Afrin both rose 6%, while NeilMed sinus rinse brand saw the largest increase in the segment at 14.3% — all NeilMed products rose 7%.

Since a resurgence in the late 1990s, bedbugs persist as a problem across the United States. According to recent surveys by the National Pest Management Association, 99.6% of pest professionals surveyed treated for bedbugs in 2015 and one out of five Americans has had a bedbug infestation in their home or knows someone who has encountered bedbugs at home or in a hotel. As these infestations continue to rise across North America, DSN talked to Gary Beutler, COO of KiltronX Enviro Systems, about the problem and the remedies required to combat it.

Drug store retailers sense a shift in skin care. While for many years they enjoyed the glowing results of anti-aging, that segment has plateaued. Instead, they are looking to growth from cleansers and therapeutic offers.