A new market of consumer-focused healthcare products is emerging to occupy the space between consumer goods and pharmaceuticals - and becoming a battleground that giants in both industries are gearing up to dominate, says a new report published by A.T. Kearney.

Many factors - consumer awareness of health issues, higher personal incomes, more focus on fitness, and the urbanization of emerging economies, just to name a few - have combined to create a new market for healthcare products. And the world's leading pharmaceutical and consumer goods companies are eager to do battle for this new market's seemingly unlimited potential.

Consumer health company of the future
These companies bring different strengths - and weaknesses - to the battle. We believe the consumer health company of the future will be an amalgam of the two industries, able to engage consumers and prove the clinical effectiveness of their products and as adept at dealing with medical professionals as negotiating supermarket shelf space. Even more important, such a company will have the ability to identify unmet consumer needs and develop innovative ways to unlock true value in the marketplace.

Consumer health industry
In this second paper in a series on the consumer health industry, the consulting firm explores answers to questions our consumer health clients are asking. Which categories should we focus on? Can we succeed with global products and brands, or is this a local market play? How should the product be positioned between consumer goods and prescription drugs? Where should we focus-on developed or developing markets, or both? How do we manage specialist and mass-market channels? What's the best operating model for us?

The fight for the consumer health market is a war with multiple fronts, and participants will have to organize effectively, move swiftly, and know which battles they must take on and which tactics will ensure victory.

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