Sales growth of consumer health in El Salvador in 2024 was positive across most categories, especially paediatric consumer health, while weight management and wellbeing was one exception. Demand for OTC remains highly seasonal, while climate change is stimulating the popularity of antihistamines/allergy remedies and topical antifungals.
Consumer health sales in El Salvador in 2024 showed a return to seasonal sales patterns similar to those observed in the year before the onset of the pandemic. Categories such as cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies showed peaks in demand during cooler months and during periods of heavier rainfall between March and October.
After controversial presidential elections with regard to constitutional modifications that were made for their validation, Nayib Bukele was re-elected by majority vote as president of El Salvador in 2024. Among his electoral promises included a continuation of the fight to eradicate poverty and gang violence.
Since the election of the current administration, security in the country has been given priority. El Salvador was one of the most dangerous countries in the region, with gangs and organised crime having many tentacles, even within the state.
For the most part, El Salvador enjoys good road infrastructure in and around the larger urbanised areas. In previous years, the country showed high levels of urban insecurity that also hindered logistical efficiency, especially in semiurban and rural areas, given that certain road routes were controlled by maras (gangs), which collected "taxes" to allow the distribution of products, mass consumption or allow its sale in small neighbourhood stores.
OTC products are classified as free dispensing drugs and do not need to be sold via authorised pharmacies. However, these products must comply with the General Medicines Law and the General Regulation of the Law of Medications.
The health registry of vitamins and dietary supplements must comply with the same registry procedures applied to OTC medications, with no changes reported in the review period. However, these products have greater flexibility in terms of authorised points of sale, and therefore can be marketed in all channels, unlike OTC medications that are only authorised in pharmacies and some of their products in supermarkets.
Over the forecast period, consumer health is expected to show sustained growth in retail value sales, although at moderate levels. The main categories such as analgesics, digestive remedies, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies already have high levels of penetration and wide distribution, not only the pharmaceutical channel, but also in supermarket chains and even via small local grocers.
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Consumer Health
It is the aggregation of OTC, Vitamins and Dietary Supplements (VDS), Sports Nutrition, and Weight Management and Wellbeing
See All of Our DefinitionsThis report originates from Passport, our Consumer Health research and analysis database.
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