According to Nicholas Hall’s global OTC database, DB6, the OTC market maintained 4.1% growth in the 12 months to end-March 2018. This steady but slower rate of global OTC growth compares to a faster pace during the first three quarters of 2017, when growth peaked at 4.6%.
The key factor in the persistent slowdown in Q1 2018 was lower OTC growth in the USA (+2.5% vs +2.8% for calendar 2017), with faster development held back by a weak allergy season. As highlighted in our OTC DASHBOARD market summary for North America, the impact of recent Rx-to-OTC switch activity in the US market has also been minimal.
Some positives emerged in the MAT Q1 2018 data. OTC growth in Western Europe improved to 1.8%, boosted by a high incidence of cough & cold in the first quarter of this year, while Latin America’s OTC market continued to increase strongly (+11.8%), with leading country Brazil up by 9.8%.
The OTC performance in Asia-Pacific (+4.7%) was mixed, with China (+6.3%) and India (+7.9%) improving upon their 2017 growth, however Japan and Australia remained flat in Q1 2018. Growth in the Middle East & Africa remained stable at 6.7%, while Central & Eastern Europe decelerated further to 5.5%, with weakening growth in both Russia (+3.5%) and Poland (+3.3%).
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