What are consumers’ attitudes about OTCs?
Recent data from YouGov Profiles reveals that nearly half of Americans (47%) buy over-the-counter drugs as required rather than stocking up followed by 39% who keep a stock of some such medications but buy others when necessary.
Furthermore, when it comes to choosing between generic and branded OTC drugs, more than half of respondents (55%) say they tend to buy a mixture of both while a fifth say their choice depends on what is readily available at the time (20%).
On the other hand, only a tenth of Americans say they specifically only buy branded (11%) or generic (10%) medication.
The data also revealed that while half of American adults say they pick one OTC drug over another because they’ve used it in the past and are aware of its efficacy (50%), an equal share also state that price is an influential differentiating factor (49%).
A third of respondents pick a particular brand of OTC medication because they recognize the brand name (33%), followed by more than a quarter who do so either due to a doctor’s recommendation or the medication’s strength (27% for both).
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Advertisements on TV (4%), the internet (2%), in print (2%) or on the radio (1%) are least likely to influence an American consumer’s choice of OTC medication.
Data from YouGov Profiles further reveals that cold and flu relief medication tops the list of OTC drugs purchased by Americans over the past six months (40%) followed by internal pain relief medicines (38%), first aid supplies (38%) and allergy prevention and treatments (38%).
Sinus relief drugs and external pain relief lotions or ointments (14% and 13% respectively) round out the list of top 10 most purchased over-the-counter medication in the United States in the past six months.
Where do American consumers purchase their chosen OTC medicines?
The data revealed that Walmart is a top choice—visited by 58% of American consumers for their OTC drug purchases—followed by Walgreens (38%) and CVS (37%).
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With less than a tenth of respondents saying they purchase their over-the-counter medication at Publix (6%), Safeway (5%) and Mejjer (5%), these retailers bring up the rear in the list of top 10 OTC dug retailers used in the United States, according to the data.