In this Issue

Walmart’s Marcus Osborne (far right)

Helping seniors stay “active, mobile and independent” is the prime mission for GreatCall, a San-Diego-based provider of independent-living tools for elderly Americans and their caregivers.

Consumers are becoming more aware that keeping the mouth and teeth clean is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. Other factors driving sales of oral care products include the burgeoning older population in the United States needing more oral health care, and the demand for natural and cosmetic solutions to dental health issues.

everythingHEALTH’s Mary Alice Lawless (left) and UnitedHealthcare’s Shannon Huneke (right)

As health insurers continue to work closer with retailers to improve access to patient care, UnitedHealthcare is among a handful of companies at the forefront of this increasingly collaborative approach.

Is there a place for genetic testing in the retail pharmacy setting? Absolutely, said John Ward, VP international and retail marketing for 23andMe.

Retailers and suppliers are in the midst of a strategy shift in the consumable aisles. As consumers increase their focus on the role that diet plays in health care, retailers and suppliers are retooling their strategies to emphasize fresh, local, organic, natural, healthy products — something that Kantar Retail calls the FLONH effect.

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

Summer always is a strong selling season for insect repellents, but this year has seen sales rise in the category due to consumer worry over the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

According to IRI, sales of insect repellent, which includes rodent control products, topped $506 million in the 52-week period ended June 12, an increase of 4% from the previous year.

Instagram is helping boost sales of at-home artificial nails. The nail category is still trying to claw its way out of the red, with IRI reporting sales still down. For the 52-week period ended May 15 across multi-outlets, sales are down 0.7% overall, but nail color is still down just over 7%.