The Netherlands' OTC market stabilizes in 2021, after defying the negative impacts of COVID-19 seen in other major European markets the year before. Consumers continued to flock to drugstores and supermarkets rather than pharmacies, highlighting the ongoing structural transformation of the country's consumer health market.

Double-digit increases in sales of omega 3 supplements, vitamin A and D combinations and single product B vitamins helped Germany's dietary supplements market grow by 2.1% to €2.7bn in 2021, according to IQVIA Commercial. 

Healthspan adds New Zealand blackcurrant supplement to Elite range; Lanes Health brings Nordic iron supplement to UK, A Vogel offers British consumers an eco-friendly eye dropper version of Pollinosan; and Dermal Laboratories launches Doublebase Once.  

Data from Sempora Consulting shows Germany's OTC market is still struggling to return to pre-pandemic growth levels in the first quarter of 2022. Digging deeper into recent trends like e-commerce and inflationary pricing, the firm suggests a number of points for consumer healthcare companies to consider in formulating their sales strategies for the rest of the year.

Chinese consumers are stockpiling dietary supplements again against the backdrop of new coronavirus lockdowns in parts of the country. TMO Group thinks this could edge China into the global number one spot in terms of size, ahead of the US. Managing partner Jing Zhou comments on the trends that have driven China's stellar rise, and how international consumer health firms can seize the country's supplements opportunity.

CMDh receives applications to change how NSAIDs are recommended for use during pregnancy; HMPC warns against use of estragole-containing excipients in herbals; EMA adopts new EU common standard for electronic product information on medicines marketed within the region.