Foot care

Drug Store News, May 20, 2002

Compared with the growth generated in recent years by the introduction of more sophisticated device products and the switch of Lamasil, the foot care segment flattened out considerably in 2001. However, the dip was sharper in units than dollars, suggesting that the trend toward higher-priced SKUs in the category may have staved off a steeper decline in dollars.

It appeared that the introduction of Dr. Scholl's Advantage cannibalized some of its growth on the DynaStep side of the business. However, smaller vendors, such as Pro-Foot and Implus, continued to demonstrate real uncompromised growth last year, rising up to become the No. 2 and No. 3 brands in the devices category in 2001, a category in which the top 10 branded spots traditionally have gone to different lines within the Dr. Scholl's brand family. The introduction of Novartis' Stride Guard insole line, while perhaps not as well received as many anticipated, did generate more than $3.2 million in drug stores in 2001.

Looking forward, Chattem plans to expand its Gold Bond brand with five SKUs sometime this year. And Schering-Plough hopes to bolster its Lotrimin franchise with the recent launch of its athlete's foot/jock itch switch product Lotrimin Ultra.

Top 10 brands in drug

Brand/segment                        $ sales (*)  % change

Dr. Scholl's -- devices                $42.7         0.5%
Lamisil AT -- medications               21.0         2.1
Litrimin AF -- medications              19.7        -2.9
Tinactin -- medications                 15.3        -0.7
Professional Foot Care -- devices        7.0        82.6
Desenex -- medications                   7.0        -8.3
Dr. Scholl's Dynastep -- devices         6.5       -23.0
Dr. Scholl's -- medications              6.5       -14.3
Airplus -- devices                       6.0        17.6
Dr. Scholl's Advantage -- devices        4.8        33.1

(*)Sales in millions
Top 10 gainers in drug

Brand/segment                $          %      $ (*)
                           sales (*)  change  change

Stride Guard -- devices    $3.2         NA    $3.2
Profoot -- devices          7.0         2.6%   3.2
Advantage -- devices        4.8        33.1    1.2
Airplus -- devices          6.0        17.6    0.9
Lamisil AT -- medications  21.0         2.1    0.4
Pedicure Essentials --      1.8        22.0    0.3
medications
Johnson Odor Eaters --      3.3         9.4    0.3
medications
Pedifix -- devices          3.1         6.5    0.2
Gold Bond -- medications    1.6         6.4    0.1
Fungi Cure -- medications   2.6         2.8    0.1

Source: Information Resources Inc. for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 30, 2001

(*)Sales in millions
Foot care scorecard

                               Total F/D/M (*)      Drug stores
                               $         % chg.          $
                           Sales (**)  vs. yr. ago   Sales (**)

Foot care -- devices      $267.5          1.6%      $143.0
Foot care -- treatments/   236.4         -2.4        129.0
medications
Epsom salts ( )             25.6          2.5         12.2

                           Drug stores        Drug chains only
                             % chg.          $         % chg.
                           vs. yr. ago   sales (**)  vs. yr. ago

Foot care -- devices          -0.3%     $114.7           0.8%
Foot care -- treatments/      -2.3       100.9          -1.2
medications
Epsom salts ( )                2.9         9.6           2.1

Source: Information Resources Inc. for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 30

(*)Total F/D/M excludes Wal-Mart

(**)Sales in millions

( )IRI tracks epsom salts as part of the incdllaneous health remedies

category.