Where the Gains Are
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2013
C-store sales of over-the-counter (OTC) medication flagged in 2013, with even the largest segment—analgesics—seeing declines. Dollar sales of analgesics fell by 1.4% and unit sales fell 5.5%, according to IRI. Cold, allergy and sinus tablets saw smaller declines than in 2012 but still gave up nearly 5% ofdollar sales and nearly 4% in units. Gastrointestinal-remedy dollars were down by 2% and units fell more than 4%.
Weight control/nutrition liquids continued to see gains in 2013, up nearly 10% in c-store dollar sales and nearly 8% in units. The Muscle Milk brand claimed more than two-thirds of dollar sales in the subcategory, but VPX Redline Xtreme and Core Power brands showed significant growth in that segment, according to IRI. C-store sales of energy shots were anemic for a second straight year, declining nearly 9% in dollars and falling 8% in units.
| Pain Relievers | ||||
| Remedy type | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Internal analgesic tablets | $327.1 | -1.8% | 159.9 | -5.8% |
| Internal analgesic liquids | $5.8 | 29.5% | 0.9 | 28.7% |
| Feminine pain relievers | $5.5 | -0.9% | 1.8 | 8.0% |
| Total internal analgesics (including segments not shown) | $338.5 | -1.4% | 162.5 | -5.5% |
| Cold/Allergy/Sinus | ||||
| Tablets/packets | $117.4 | -4.7% | 42.8 | -3.6% |
| Liquids | $29.4 | 4.3% | 3.7 | -1.3% |
| Cough Remedies | ||||
| Cough drops | $98.4 | 3.5% | 67.6 | 1.0% |
| Cough syrups | $6.2 | -6.9% | 1.0 | -7.0% |
| Gastrointestinal | ||||
| Antacid tablets | $77.0 | -1.7% | 51.2 | -5.0% |
| Gastrointestinal liquids | $20.3 | -6.9% | 4.7 | -11.4% |
| Stomach remedy tablets | $13.4 | 14.8% | 5.5 | 12.0% |
| Antacid/analgesic combo | $9.7 | -7.9% | 5.0 | -6.7% |
| Diarrhea tablets | $6.5 | -24.1% | 3.2 | -8.8% |
Source: IRI
Cross-Category Opportunity
According to recent research by Management Science Associates that examined point-of-sale data at three midsize c-store chains, purchasers of e-cigarettes were more likely to buy energy shots, followed by packaged beverages. This reveals an opportunity for retailers to merchandise these categories closer together or tie together with promotions to help energy shots, whose sales have flagged over the past couple of years, hitch onto the rising success of e-cigarettes.
| Energy & Sleep Aids | ||||
| Aid type | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Energy shots | $803.5 | -8.8% | 254.5 | -8.0% |
| Sleeping remedies | $14.6 | 14.6% | 4.8 | 3.7% |
| Weight Control/Nutrition | ||||
| Liquids/powers | $274.4 | 9.8% | 80.0 | 7.8% |
| Candy/tablets | $40.1 | -4.3% | 20.1 | -6.0% |
| Vitamins & Nutrition | ||||
| Vitamins | $89.8 | -6.9% | 35.6 | -8.2% |
| Baby formula/electolytes | $11.0 | -15.3% | 0.8% | -15.7% |
Source: IRI
Distributor Data: OTC Shipments
Calendar year 2013
Shipments in 2013 of OTC items from McLane rose in some segments—analgesics, cold/cough/allergy and baby food—but fell for stomach remedies, vitamin and energy supplements and shooters.
| Segment | Avg. shipments per store per week (in dollars) | Avg. shipments per store per week (dollar growth) | PCYA |
| Analgesics | $13.85 | $1.88 | 15.7% |
| Analgesics single/multidose | $12.97 | -$0.68 | -5.0% |
| Total analgesics | $26.82 | $1.20 | 4.7% |
| Cough/cold/allergy | $14.09 | $1.18 | 9.1% |
| Lozenges | $7.67 | -$0.06 | -0.8% |
| Cough/cold/allergy-single/multi dose | $4.30 | $0.61 | 16.6% |
| Total cough/cold/allergy | $26.06 | $1.73 | 7.1% |
| Stomach remedies | $4.29 | -$0.35 | -7.6% |
| Stomach rolls | $3.85 | -$0.28 | -6.9% |
| Stomach remedies-singles/multi dose | $2.79 | $0.28 | 11.1% |
| Total stomach remedies | $10.94 | -$0.36% | -3.2% |
| Vitamin/energy/supplement shooters | $57.26 | -$4.27 | -7.0% |
| Vitamins/supplements | $6.91 | -$1.46 | -17.4% |
| Vitamins/supplments-singles/multi dose | $0.22 | -$0.03 | -10.8% |
| Total vitamins/supplements | $64.38 | -$5.76 | -8.2% |
| Baby food/formula | $1.21 | $0.10 | 9.1% |
| Baby care | $1.02 | $0.00 | -0.4% |
| Total baby | $2.23 | $0.10 | 4.6% |
Source: McLane Co.
Gastrointestinal-Tablet Brands by Units
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2013
C-store sales of gastrointestinal tablets declined 2% in dollars and 4% in units last year, despite growth by some top performers, including Lil’ Drug Store’s Zantac 150 and Pepto-Bismol, according to IRI.
| Brand | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA |
| Tums Ultra antacid | 15.6 | -5.0% | $23.4 | -3.7% |
| Tums EX antacid | 15.3 | -5.3% | $17.3 | -2.8% |
| Tums antacid | 8.7 | -17.0% | $9.8 | -14.6% |
| Lil' Drug Store Zantac 150 antacid | 3.6 | 18.5% | $9.4 | 24.8% |
| Lil' Drug Store Pepto-Bismol stomach remedy | 2.1 | 15.1% | $5.0 | 17.7% |
| Total gastrointestinal (including brands not shown) | 65.2 | -4.2% | $107.6 | -2.4% |
Source: IRI
Distributor Data: Top Stomach-Remedy SKUs
Calendar year 2013
Stomach Remedies
1. Pepto-Bismol Maximum Strength (liquid, 4-oz.)
2. Zantac 150 Tablets (3-count)
3. CVP Stomach Relief (8-oz.)
4. Medtech Dramamine Original (12-count)
5. Pepto-Bismol (liquid, 4-oz.)
Single/Multidose
1. Lil’ Drug Store Zantac 150 (2-count)
2. Lil’ Drug Store Pepto-Bismol (tablets, 4-count)
3. Lil’ Drug Store Alka-Seltzer (4-count)
4. Uni’s Zantac (1-dose)
5. Lil’ Drug Store anti-diarrheal (4-count)
Rolls
1. Tums Ultra Assorted Berries
2. Tums Ultra Peppermint
3. Tums E-X Assorted
4. Tums Original Peppermint
5. Tums E-X Assorted Berries
Source: McLane Co.
Internal-Analgesic Brands
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2013
BC and Goody’s stayed on top of the internal-analgesics segment in c-stores and together claimed about one-quarter of subcategory sales in 2013, according to IRI. Both, however, experienced declines in dollars and unit sales, IRI figures show. Private-label analgesics grew about 3% in dollars and 2% in units.
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Goody's | $40.1 | -1.8% | 26.1 | -3.9% |
| BC | $39.0 | -5.0% | 26.3 | -5.7% |
| Private label | $31.7 | 3.1% | 12.8 | 2.2% |
| Advil | $29.5 | -6.7% | 5.6 | -8.8% |
| Aleve | $16.8 | -5.3% | 3.0 | -9.9% |
| Total (including brands not shown) | $327.1 | -1.8% | 159.9 | -5.8% |
Source: IRI
Weight-Control/Nutritional Brands
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2013
While Muscle Milk brands contributed more than two-thirds of c-store dollar sales in the weight-control/nutritional segment, according to IRI, the subcategory’s nearly 10% growth was also fueled by the VPX Redline Xtreme and Core Power brands.
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Muscle Milk | $166.7 | 5.6% | 46.3 | 3.4% |
| VPX Redline Xtreme | $22.5 | 16.7% | 7.1 | 20.8% |
| Muscle Milk Light | $14.7 | 2.9% | 4.1 | 0.4% |
| Core Power | $11.4 | >1,000% | 3.4 | >1,000% |
| Muscle Milk Pro Series 40 | $6.5 | NA | 1.6 | NA |
| VPX Redline Power Rush | $3.4 | 6.7% | 1.1 | 7.9% |
| ABB Pure Pro 50 | $3.3 | 93.0% | 0.8 | 94.3% |
| Neuro Trim | $3.3 | -25.9% | 1.3 | -27.2% |
| Kellogg's Special K | $3.2 | 5.3% | 1.2 | 3.6% |
| VPX Redline | $2.9 | -18.9% | 0.9 | -17.2% |
| Total (including brands not shown) | $274.2 | 9.8% | 80.0 | 7.8% |
Source: IRI
Energy-Shot Brands
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2013
C-store sales of energy shots declined for the second straight year, down nearly 9% in dollars and off 8% in units, according to IRI. The 5-hour Energy brand claimed more than 90% of dollar share in the segment.
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
| 5-hour Energy | $750.7 | -8.0% | 229.3 | -8.0% |
| Stacker 2 6-hour Power | $13.6 | -27.4% | 3.9 | -27.5% |
| Tweaker | $5.5 | 46.1% | 4.7 | 48.7% |
| E6 | $3.4 | -32.7% | 2.0 | -27.3% |
| Street King | $3.2 | 69.6% | 1.2 | 86.4% |
| Vital 4U Screamin Emergy | $2.7 | -7.2% | 2.4 | -8.5% |
| VPX Redline Power Rush | $2.7 | -12.5% | 0.9 | -12.2% |
| Worx Energy Extra Strength | $2.6 | -64.9% | 1.1 | -61.2% |
| Fuel in a Bottle | $2.6 | 30.4% | 1.2 | 41.3% |
| Stacker 2 | $2.3 | -34.2% | 0.6 | -33.2% |
| Total (including brands not shown) | $803.5 | -8.8% | 254.5 | -8.0% |
Source: IRI
Distributor Data: Vitamin/Supplement/Energy Shooters
Calendar year 2013
The top-shipped energy shot from McLane in 2013 was the 5-hour Energy Extra Strength Berry.
1. 5-hour Energy Extra Strength Berry (1.93-oz.)
2. 5-hour Energy Extra Strength Grape (1.93-oz.)
3. 5-hour Energy Berry (2-oz.)
4. 5-hour Energy Pomegranate (2-oz.)
5. 5-hour Energy Grape (2-oz.)
Source: McLane Co.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.