Chinese pharmaceutical brands have made strong gains in China,
where a ban on an ingredient has hit Western brands, including the
country's top-selling cold medication, Contac, a Smith Kline Beecham
Tianjin (SKBT) product.
SKBT was forced to pull Contac off the OTC shelf because it contained
the banned PPA ingredient. But MEDIA understands that SKBT is working on
relaunching the brand as an OTC product minus PPA, as it wants to
maintain Contac's brand equity as the only cold medication to offer
12-hour symptom relief.
"There is no clear leadership in the cold market. Although Tylenol and
Bufferin have made some headway, Chinese brands like 999 and Kang Bi De
have gained a larger share because the PPA issue has made locals
suspicious of Western brands," said a source.
