“Consumers are rewriting the rules when it comes to where they are going for information and the type of information they are looking for,” reports Kaizo’s Anita Nahal, speaking to HBW Insight’s Over the Counter podcast about the agency’s latest Communicating Health Messages report. Trust in social media has increased, and personal beliefs and lived experiences are playing a larger role in shaping attitudes to health information, explains Nahal, who is director at the London-based PR agency. However, consumers are also continuing to “tune-out” from health messages and be less critical of sources. To help consumers navigate this new reality, consumer health companies need to adapt, rethink and reset their communication strategies, Nahal advises.

In this episode, HBW Insight’s Europe and US editors bring their expertise to bear on the current the trend towards standalone OTC companies in global consumer health. We look at four major players: Haleon, which separated from GSK almost two years ago; Kenvue, soon to celebrate its first anniversary as a new company; Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, which is poised to split from its pharma parent; and Bayer, which has decided to buck the trend, holding on to its consumer health division. We discuss some of the advantages of becoming a standalone company, for example in leaning into a wider concept of self-care.

In this episode, HBW Insight dives into personalized wellness with Marni Allen, chief marketing officer at tailored supplements manufacturer Bioniq. Named as one of EY UK's 50 Women to Watch in 2022, Allen has over 20 years’ experience in consumer healthcare, and is now working with Bioniq to create the next generation of bespoke wellness products for consumers across the world. As well as its top tier at-home blood test-based service, Bioniq also offers an affordable questionnaire-based option, which leverages the power of AI to analyse users’ nutritional needs and provide unique supplement formulations in the post. Although personalized wellness is still somewhat niche, Allen suggests that AI-based models like Bioniq offer an attractive option for traditional consumer health companies looking to get into this fast-growing market.

In this episode of Over the Counter, HBW Insight speaks to Paul LaTerra, Director, R&D, Global Hair and Scalp for Kenvue, a New Jersey-based consumer health company that markets skin care brands Neutrogena, Aveeno and Lubriderm. We discuss growth of the beauty-from-within supplements market, how the products complement topical skin care and hair formulas and the growing body of research demonstrating significant skin and hair health benefits. 

The Association of the European Self-Care Industry celebrates its 60^th birthday this year. In this episode, we catch up with AESGP director general, Jurate Švarcaite, to find out how the association will mark the occasion, including at this year’s Annual Meeting in Brussels in June. AESGP Annual Meetings are an excellent way to find out what the key issues and trends are impacting the European consumer health industry, and this one will be no different. We talk through some of the key themes of this year’s conference. Sustainability continues to be a mega-trend, closely followed by digitalization and artificial intelligence. With its wide-ranging footprint across OTC medicines, food supplements and self-care medical devices sectors, the consumer health industry is facing an avalanche of regulations, and the AESGP continues to be an effective advocate for its stakeholders, alongside adjacent industry partners. 

HBW Insight continues its conversation with The Exponential Club’s Nick Tate. In this episode, we discuss what the future of consumer health might actually look like, covering a lot of ground from nudge-based health insurance platforms to digital products that may supplement or even replace traditional drugs. We also talk about the promise and limitations of at-home testing for furthering personalization, and how to navigate partnerships with tech-specialists large and small to help accelerate digital transformation plans.

In this episode, HBW Insight speaks to The Exponential Club’s Nick Tate about the impact of artificial intelligence and digitalization on consumer health and wellness. Having worked in both marketing and OTC, most recently leading Haleon’s incubator business, Haleon NEXT, Tate is perfectly placed to explain where industry is now with regards to digital health, and where it might be in the near future. The importance of data interoperability and of dialogue between governments, companies and consumers is discussed, along with ChatGPT and AI anxiety and the need for philosophers.

In this episode, HBW Insight speaks to Aurélie Perrichet, regional director, Europe at the International Fragrance Association. We discussed the implications of planned revisions to the European Commission’s Classification, Labeling and Packaging (CLP) regulation, which may re-categorize biological materials as mixtures, from their current status as substances. Perrichet also speculated how the proposed change could reduce the number of available essential oils and other types of fragrance and flavor materials available.