Consumers are buying earlier and more in fewer trips. Upper Respiratory is an $8 billion category with 72% growth. AWG/VMC is a $3.7 million category with 51% growth latest 26W. Cold & Cough the largest HBC category with historical increased importance during peak season. Seasonality is becoming blurred since the onset of COVID-19, which makes the size & importance of the category even greater. Sales vary seasonally, and consumers usually purchase when needed.
Post-pandemic factors that favor increased respiratory infections in 2022/2023, vaccine hesitancy, relaxed COVID social distancing, mask mandates being lifted, children returning to in-person schooling, vulnerable to common upper respiratory infections, and increase of travel. The season has been highly unpredictable with large off-season fluctuations. Consumers are buying earlier and buying more. This is due to fear of illness exposure and product availability. The pandemic changed shopper behavior in this category. Following the initial stock-up surge, shoppers settled into fewer trips but with higher spend.
