by David Salazar for Drug Store News

It is steady as it goes for the first aid category. While other categories experience more extreme fluctuations, a steady demand for merchandise and a constant influx of product introductions have resulted in relatively stable sales for this important department at retail.

Even with the stability of the category, industry observers said that opportunities abound in first aid, especially with aging baby boomers needing more products and a dramatic shift to self-care that drives patients into retailers seeking solutions to minor ailments.

Then there is the fact that as retailers are having to make tough decisions about which products they should allot space to, consumers are becoming increasingly choosy.

“I think retailers are always looking at their assortments and asking if they have the most effective remedies,” said Jim Creagan, president of Randob Labs, which makes Sting-Kill insect bite first aid products. “And consumers are looking at it from the perspective of looking not just at the name brand, but at the active ingredients.”