OTC market ‘will continue to grow up to 2014’

Sales of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in the UK are set to see continued growth over the next four years, according to a market analyst.

Data from Key Note’s 2010 market report for the sector has revealed that OTC medicine sales grew by 1.5 per cent during 2009, helping the retail pharmacy sector to attain an overall value total of 13.5 billion pounds for the year.

The analyst predicted that this trend will continue up to 2014, despite the downward pressures exerted by decreased cosmetic product sales and reduced levels of NHS spending growth.

It suggested that the increasing range of services pharmacists are offering will play a key role in encouraging “strong sales growth”, as will the rising value of the prescription and OTC categories.

Overall, Key Note expects the UK market for retail pharmacies to expand by 11.6 per cent between 2010 and 2014.

Earlier this month, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) called on the General Pharmaceutical Council to support UK pharmacists by amending plans to charge application fees the NPA believes to be unfair.