Consumer Healthcare

For more details on our products visit the Products section click here.

The UK OTC (over the counter)/self-medication market is currently valued at £2 billion at retail selling prices and Boehringer Ingelheim Consumer Healthcare is one of the fastest growing companies in this market. In 2004 our growth increased by +4% compared with market growth of +0.7%.

In the UK we aim to be ranked either first, second or third in each of the sub-categories we compete in. This success has been has been driven from strong category management of our existing portfolio and launching innovative new products. Over the next five years we are heavily investing in developing our core brands, many of which are already market leaders, and aim to add new products to grow further.

The Consumer Healthcare business is a core part of the global Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation. In the UK our consumer health care products are available to members of the public 'over the counter' (OTC) which means that they can be obtained from pharmacies and other major retailers without a prescription. Our product portfolio includes many leading natural health and gastro intestinal brands.

We have a broad customer base which includes not only multiple and independent pharmacies and drug stores, but also multiple grocers and health food multiples.

We are active in the following product categories:

• gastro-intestinal

• natural health

Gastrointestinal

Our gastro-intestinal range currently contains two main categories: laxatives and anti-spasmodics. Our laxative products:

• Dulcolax® for gentle overnight constipation relief, is available in tablet and suppository formats.

• Dulcolax® Perles® relieve constipation. They are available in an exclusive soft gel format for flexible dosage to match personal needs.

• Laxoberal® also for constipation relief. It has a pleasant tasting liquid format.

Our anti-spasmodic product:

• Buscopan® is Europe's leading antispasmotic OTC product for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Natural Health

Our Pharmaton® natural health range contains a wide range of innovative phyto medicines and supplements for a range of needs. Many of these products have clinical or scientific evidence to support their action.

Antistax® our leading leg vein health brand containing standardised red vine leaf extract. It helps maintain healthy leg vein health circulation.

(Should you choose to use any of our products it is a UK regulatory requirement that we remind you that, as with all medicines, you should always read the label and leaflet.)

We are currently ranked as the sixth largest OTC company in Europe, eighth in the world and are the No.1 leading consumer OTC business in Germany as well as being in dominant positions in Spain, Italy and new markets such as central Eastern Europe.