HEALTH

Oregon passes DXM age restriction law
WASHINGTON — To combat teen abuse of over-the-counter medicines containing the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, Oregon Governor Kate Brown on Thursday signed legislation prohibiting the sale of DXM-containing products to minors.

The move makes Oregon the 14th state to pass an age-18 sales law, joining states across the country in recognizing that limiting teen access to DXM is a proven way to prevent abuse, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.
Nature's Bounty named a Long Island Business News Corporate Citizen of the Year
RONKONKOMA, N.Y. — Nature’s Bounty on Thursday announced it is the recipient of the Long Island Business News Corporate Citizen of the Year Award.

Amazon and Whole Foods: 5 things to know about the blockbuster deal

The food retail industry has been flush with big mergers lately, but today’s stunner has no precedent.
Amazon to acquire Whole Foods

SEATTLE — In a blockbuster deal, online giant Amazon is acquiring Whole Foods Market in an all-cash transaction valued at $13.7 billion, or $42 a share.

John Mackey, co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods, will remain CEO of the grocer after the deal closes. Stores will continue to operate under the Whole Foods banner, and the company's headquarters will remain in Austin, Texas.
Vendor View Roundtable: Engaging the New General Market

The New General Market is not about demographics — it is a cultural shift and a change in the consumer mindset that has been brought on by the growth of multicultural and millennial consumers and the impact they are having on ALL consumers. It is changing the rules for how brands market. For this virtual roundtable, DSN talked to leading CPG executives about how to better engage the New General Market.
Redefining the brick-and-mortar experience

The Vitamin Shoppe for the past year has been steadily redefining the brick-and-mortar experience for natural health shoppers via its latest store prototype, the Brand Defining Store, currently in nine locations with another five to open soon. “We’re always looking for innovative ways to enhance our customer’s wellness journey, and our BDS stores are one of many examples of how we’re increasing consumer engagement and improving the customer experience overall,” Jason Reiser, The Vitamin Shoppe’s COO, told Drug Store News.
Probiotics are ringing the register

Probiotics are one of the better-selling categories within the VMS space, as evidenced by the number of growing probiotic brands on the top 10 mineral supplement brand chart, which is where IRI captures many of the probiotic SKUs. While market-leading mineral supplement brands Nature Made and Nature’s Bounty certainly include probiotics, i-Health’s Culturelle brand is the best-selling pure-play probiotic brand with $123.1 million in sales on 8.9% growth across total U.S. multi-outlets, according to IRI.
RB completes Mead Johnson acquisition

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — RB on Thursday announced the completion of the acquisition of the Mead Johnson Nutrition Company, which folds the two infant and child nutrition powerbrands Enfa and Nutramigen into RB's existing health portfolio.
CVS Health’s Moriarty: Pharmacy services, clinics can cut Medicaid costs, improve outcomes

WASHINGTON — At the POLITICO Pro Health Care Briefing on Medicaid as a Driver of Care Innovation in the States Tuesday, CVS Health chief policy and external affairs officer Tom Moriarty shared with attendees CVS Health’s efforts to bring better value for patients to the healthcare system.
Crossmark taps IRI for category analysis

CHICAGO — IRI on Tuesday announced that Crossmark has selected IRI as its preferred data provider.

“IRI’s robust tools and technology as well as its strength in retail partnerships make it an ideal resource for Crossmark,” stated David Newman, chief insights officer for Crossmark. “We are confident that leveraging IRI tools will ensure Crossmark delivers on our client promise to provide a smarter way to faster growth.”