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21 September 2007
Mumbai, India
In the global health survey conducted recently by The Nielsen Company among Internet users, India topped the list of countries with 22 percent, which hasn’t suffered any illness from the 14 commonly occurring ailments/ health problems included in the survey in the last one month.
This is not to say that Indians did not suffer from any illness. Headache was the most common ailment with 36 percent complaining of it. Cold and an upset stomach followed headache with 27 percent and 25 percent respectively. 18 percent of the Indian respondents suffered from indigestion, which is the sixth highest in the world. “Changing lifestyles, and a hectic work schedule leads to irregular eating patterns and this might be a reason for increasing indigestion amongst Indians,” said Seetha Sethuraman, Associate Director, Client Solutions, The Nielsen Company India. Cough, back problems, sore throat, insomnia, toothache and heartburn were amongst other common ailments that Indians suffer from.
Nielsen polled 26,486 Internet users in 47 markets from Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East at the end of April this year. According to Nielsen, headaches are the most common complaint for consumers around the world (global percentage - 42%) – and may explain why analgesics are the largest category in OTC market.
The survey also covered the way consumers treat their ailments. 37 percent of Indian respondents use medicine readily available at home while 34 percent visit a doctor. After the doctor, come the home remedies with 29 percent, which is the eighth highest globally. Others purchased prescribed and non-prescribed medicines (22% and 17% respectively) from the chemist to treat their illness. 12 percent of the Indian respondents were more likely to ‘grin and bear it’.
The Nielsen survey also indicates that once a consumer decides to purchase a non-prescription medicine, experience with the product / brand always counts. 73 percent of Indians purchasing a non-prescription medicine said they bought a ‘tried and tested’ product that they have always bought in similar situations in the past. 55 percent went by the judgment of the pharmacist and 22 percent said they followed what their friends prescribe for the ailment. Surprisingly, advertising has a lesser impact (15%) compared to the amount of advertising that is done for these products in India. “Advertising is seen as a paid promotion and Indians do not believe in taking a chance with their health when it comes to taking medicines. They are more conventional in treating their illness and word of mouth publicity is the most acceptable way for an Indian to try new drugs,” added Sethuraman. It is interesting to note that only 4 percent of Indian respondents said that they bought the cheapest medicine that they could find. This percentage is the fourth lowest in the world and shows the care that Indians, who are otherwise fairly price sensitive, take of their health. The OTC and Pharmaceutical companies should try to build awareness of their product also through word of mouth (advertising) as far as the Indian market for these products is concerned. Further, they should gain the confidence of the pharmacists to promote their product over the counter.
For OTC companies, the challenge lies in encouraging consumers to switch brands in a category characterized by auto-pilot purchasing, shopper loyalty and the added element of deep cultural traditions of self medication in many countries. Through consumer research and work with OTC companies, Nielsen has found that humour and strong lifestyle associations with the local culture prove successful, especially in emerging markets where the OTC market is immature but developing fast.
About The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek), trade shows and the newspaper sector (Scarborough Research). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.
47 Markets Covered: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Thailand, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom, US and Vietnam.
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