Digestive

DUBLIN — As more consumers continue to capitalize on the value of a national brand equivalent through the appeal of the kind of own brand mindset many retailers have today, private label has never looked so promising. Not only is there continued growth in core categories due to the migration of consumers from national brand to store brand, but also the potential for new OTC product classes to emerge as the administration struggles to make healthcare more affordable.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer and Spectrum Health today announced they have collaborated to launch a line of co-branded over-the-counter products.

“As the nation’s ninth largest grocery retailer, Meijer has an undeniable presence throughout the Midwest,” Spectrum Health SVP and chief strategy officer Roger Jansen said. “We are excited to work with Meijer. This collaboration enables Spectrum Health to meet consumers where they are on their health-and-wellness journey.”

BOULDER, Colorado — Just in time for the heavy summer travel season and early back-to-school activities, PanTheryx has launched a new innovation for diarrhea relief that is neither a drug nor an over-the-counter medicine. DiaResQ, which is classified by the FDA as a food for special dietary use, is now available at drug stores nationwide and online retailers.

There’s a global race right now to become the global drug chain leader. It brings three very different things together: the board game Risk, an iceberg and a Bob Dylan song. I’ll explain.

In April, Drug Store News and Mack Elevation co-hosted the third annual New General Market Summit. The one-day thought leadership event examined the changing face of the American shopper — driven not only by the growth of multicultural and millennial consumers but also by the influence these consumers are having on all consumers — and how the best brands are able to connect on an emotional level, as well as build community and advocacy with an ever-more diverse consumer.

BETHESDA, Md. — Prebiotics may soon be the latest tool in the fight against childhood obesity, researchers from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, reported earlier this week. Prebiotics reduce body fat in children who are overweight or obese by altering their gut microbiota, according to new research published in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

SOLON, Ohio and SAN FRANCISCO — Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing has acquired a technology company that has been changing how retailers discover new suppliers.

The company on Tuesday announced the acquisition of RangeMe, which streamlines new product discovery in a way that ECRM said will complement the foundation it has laid in helping buyers discover new products and improve category planning effectiveness.