In this Issue

Boehringer Ingelheim is looking to spark some excitement across the antacids aisle with the June launch of its Duo Fusion combination antacid, “from the makers of Zantac,” which couples a fast-acting heartburn remedy with an H2 blocker to provide both immediate and longer-lasting relief from heartburn. “We saw an opportunity to trade up consumers from antacids to an H2 [blocker],” said Marc Rovner, general manager Boehringer Ingelheim Consumer Healthcare, in an interview with Drug Store News.

Internal analgesics is slightly down in retail sales with a 0.6% decrease year-over-year. As the largest segment in internal analgesics, tablets were down 0.4%. This performance was driven down primarily by private label and Bayer products. Private-label internal analgesics were down 5%, and Bayer was down 4%. Pfizer saw no change in sales. McNeil’s return to the market did well, reflecting a 17% increase over the same time period last year. The external analgesic category was up 7% year-over-year.

Not too long after Unilever’s blockbuster deal with Dollar Shave Club was announced, another online razor company made its own news. Harry’s inked a deal to sell through Target, complete with an inline presentation and an endcap decked out with a huge Harry’s signature razor.

(To view the full Shave Report, click here.)

Who’s leading the retail health revolution? One of the chief innovators in the transformation of U.S. health care is surely CVS Health.

(To download Special Report: Double Down on Health, click here.)

CHATSWORTH, Calif. — Natural beauty brand Éclair Naturals is leveraging the popularity of the latest bath craze with its popular and fun Fizzy Bath Cupcakes. Infused with almond oil, vitamin E and botanical extracts, Fizzy Bath Cupcakes gives consumers a natural soak, with the benefits of skin moisturizing, soothing and conditioning. Fizzy Bath Cupcakes are available in five scents: eucalyptus, rosemary and mint; grapefruit orange; lavender and vanilla; sandalwood; and breeze. All Éclair Naturals products are gluten free.

Digital engagement is an integral part of CVS Health’s growth strategy, and for good reason. The digital customer at CVS spends 4.5 times more and engages with the CVS brand six times more than non-digital customers do.

(To download Special Report: Double Down on Health, click here.)

The ExtraCare loyalty program has grown to become CVS Health’s crown jewel. In 2015, the program — now in its 15th year — helped drive nearly $4 billion in savings for its roughly 70 million active cardholders. More important, it has emerged as the key engine driving CVS Health’s personalization efforts — a critical component of the company’s five-pillar strategy to reenergize its front-end business.

For the year ended May 2016, specialty medicines made up 36% of all drug spend, according to IMS Health data. And for the year-to-date as of May, specialty spending growth was at 23% — outpacing the 7.8% YTD spending growth that traditional medicines saw in the same time period.