Introduction
Few studies have examined trends in over-the-counter U.S. Food and Drug Administration‒approved
nicotine replacement therapy sales data and consumer preferences for nicotine replacement
therapy attributes (e.g., flavor). Examination of consumer preferences may inform
both public health smoking cessation programs as well as subsequent research on consumer
preferences for potentially reduced-risk tobacco products U.S. Food and Drug Administration
may authorize.
Methods
NielsenIQ Retail Measurement Service data were used to examine national trends in
over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy dollar sales from 2017 to 2020 and dollar
sales by retail channel and product attributes for the most recent year available
at the time of analysis (2020).
Results
Over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy sales totaled about $1 billion annually
between 2017 and 2020. Across the 4-year period, sales of gum and patches decreased,
whereas lozenge sales increased (p<0.05 for all). In 2020, gum accounted for 52.7% ($511 million), lozenges accounted
for 33.3% ($322 million), and patches accounted for 14.1% ($137 million) of over-the-counter
nicotine replacement therapy sales. Drug stores were the retail channel accounting
for the largest percentage of total over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy
sales (42.9%). Three leading brands―private label or store brands (62.8%), Nicorette
(30.7%,), and NicoDerm CQ (5.7%)―accounted for 99.2% of the total over-the-counter
nicotine replacement therapy market. Mint was the most common flavor, representing
41.2% of total gum and 73.6% of total lozenge sales.
Conclusions
This analysis of over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy sales sheds light on
consumer preferences for attributes that can inform efforts to facilitate smoking
cessation and research on preferences related to potentially reduced-risk tobacco
products.
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Publication history
Published online: January 20, 2023
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Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
