Throat Lozenges Demand Soars: Sales Surge Amid Cough Medicine Shortage and Self-Care Trends

The demand for throat lazonges, candies are growing in this winter due to shortage of supply of cough medicine and the end of mask mandates.

The demand for throat lozenges has rapidly expanded. According to in-store sales data (KSP-POS) from January to November 2024, sales revenue increased by 12.3% year-on-year, while sales volume rose by 5.5%. One key factor driving this growth is the shortage of cough medicine. The discovery of quality control violations by generic drug manufacturers in 2020 led to a severe shortage of cough suppressants and antipyretics in 2023. Even when patients received cough medicine prescriptions from hospitals, the medication was often unavailable at pharmacies, prompting many to purchase throat lozenges as an alternative. Additionally, the increased need for “self-care for the throat” following the end of mask mandates has further boosted demand for lozenges.

Source: The Japan food journal December 12th 2024