You might expect those in middle age and beyond to be more likely, relative to other adults, to suffer from colds, sore throats and coughs. In fact, latest data for the Republic of Ireland from Kantar Media’s TGI study of consumers reveals that those aged 50 or over are 43% less likely than the average adult to say they have had colds or flu three or more times in the last 12 months and 22% less likely to have suffered from a cough three or more times over the same time period.
It rather begs the question of who these sickly people suffering from such ailments are. The short answer is: the young. Indeed, if we take a particularly sickly group of adults who have had colds/flu and sore throats and coughs three or more times in the last 12 months, it accounts for quarter of a million consumers, or 8% of the total adult population. Some 35% of those in this group are aged 15-24, making them almost two and a half times more likely than the average adult to be so sickly.
This group of frequent ill-health sufferers are especially likely to be beset by a range of other ailments, not least allergies. They are 43% more likely to have hay fever and are two and half times more likely to be allergic to dust mites. In addition, not ones to stoically suffer in silence, they are almost two-thirds more likely to visit their GP at least once a month.
Not surprisingly, this group are especially likely to take remedies for common ailments. 87% have taken cold & flu remedies in the last 12 months and 83% have taken a cough remedy. As such, they represent a real commercial opportunity for the over-the-counter pharmaceuticals market.
In terms of reaching them efficiently, TGI data reveals that they are over three-quarters more likely than the average adult to be amongst the highest 20% of consumers of internet and 64% more likely to be amongst the top 20% of consumers of cinema.
To view archived TGI Insights of the Week please click HERE
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