Past month product purchases

Drug Store News, Oct 10, 1994

How do product purchases by Asians, African-Americans and Hispanics compare to the total market?

Hispanics are much heavier users of OTCs, purchasing in particular more analgesics/headache remedies and stomach remedies than the general market. African-American purchases are mixed, showing heavier purchases of cough syrup and laxatives, in particular. Asian purchases usually lagged behind the general market trends, especially in antacids and stomach remedies.

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Asians are again the lighter purchasers of toiletries, exceeding general market purchases only in facial soap and mousse. Hispanics tended to be heavier purchasers in virtually all toiletry categories, whereas African-Americans showed a more mixed pattern.

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In cosmetics, Asians came close to the general market percentages in past month purchases of lipstick, but were below the general market elsewhere. African-Americans also showed fewer purchases, except for nail polish. Hispanics like to buy cosmetics, showing percentages above the general market for all categories.

COSMETICS

                                  Total
              General   Total   African-   Total     Total
              market    Anglo   American Hispanic   Asian
Blush           32%      32%      25%      44%       26%
Lipstick        43       42       43       61        45
Mascara         31       32       20       40        21
Nail polish     27       25       31       49        21

Women's feminine hygiene purchases vary dramatically by ethnic background. While all groups purchased more sanitary napkins than tampons, less than 20 percent of Hispanic women reported purchasing tampons in the last month--the smallest percentage.

FEMININE HYGIENE

                                       Total
                   General   Total   African-     Total    Total
                   market    Anglo   American   Hispanic   Asian
Sanitary napkins     38%      35%      43%        72%       51%
Tampons              32       34       25         19        24

In consumables purchases, Asians, African-Americans and Hispanics all made more purchases of bottled water than the general market. Hispanics exceeded the general market in regular carbonated soft drink purchases; whereas African-Americans and Hispanics exceeded the general market percentage for fruit juice drink purchases and ready-to-drink iced teas.

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