Reveal Marketing Research study: Romanians, less worried about their health during the cold season than a year ago
- Romanians have become more relaxed after the pandemic, with 60% of them declaring that they do not have stocks of medicines or food supplements at home
- 6 out of 10 Romanians at the national level are used to consuming food supplements, and those dedicated to fighting colds and flu are the most popular this year (48%)
- The top favorite ways to fight flu and cold are: hot teas (75%), medicine (59%), rest (49%)
Reveal Marketing Research conducted a nationally representative study to find out what are the attitudes, perceptions and behavior of Romanians towards health care in this cold season. We observed how they evolved compared to November 2021, given that the cold season marks that time of the year when the human body is more vulnerable to viruses that cause colds, flu or seasonal viruses, conditions that have seen a significant increase in recent years..
According to the data provided by the National Institute of Public Health, in the second week of January, 140,000 cases of respiratory infections and flu were registered in Romania.
Today, Romanians are more relaxed: 60% do not have stocks of medicines at home
The study in the pharmaceutical field carried out by Reveal Marketing Research shows that 4 out of 10 Romanians have a stock of medicines or food supplements at home, women tending to adopt this behavior to a significantly greater extent than men (46% vs. 33%).
Referring to the situation in November 2021, we notice that Romanians relaxed once the crisis caused by the pandemic subsided, the proportion of those who stock up on medicines currently halving.
And with regard to the consumption of food supplements, we observe a decrease, currently 60% of Romanians declaring that they have this consumption habit compared to 73% at the end of 2021.
As expected, 18-24 year olds are the least interested in using dietary supplements, with 63% of them saying they don’t use it vs. 40% total sample.
7 out of 10 Romanians focus on strengthening the immune system before the cold season
The data of the study carried out by Reveal Marketing Research reveal the fact that 67% of Romanians generally have a behavior oriented towards prevention, and a percentage of 69% declare that they focus on strengthening the immune system before the start of the cold season. Both behaviors show percentage decreases of 10% and 5%, respectively, compared to November 2021 – a period strongly marked by limited access to the health system and the fear of not contacting the Covid-19 virus.
If we refer to the ailments Romanians have faced since the beginning of this cold season, the most frequently mentioned are colds (62%), viral infections (25%) and flu (23%).
In the same vein, only 34% declare that they have not had any condition, to a significantly greater extent mature people over 55 (55%). A potential explanation is that in the case of this risk category, the probability of using the vaccine as a preventive measure against these conditions is higher than in the case of the other age categories.
The remedies that Romanians use to treat colds and flu
In general, Romanians believe that the main cause of viral infections in the cold season is the transmission from one person to another (74%) rather than the low temperature (26%).
Taking a look at the ways in which Romanians tend to treat themselves when they have a flu or cold, we find that most of them consume hot teas (75%), use medicines (59%), sleep / rest (49%) and consume more fruits (42%) or citrus juices (28%).
Likewise, traditional remedies such as the consumption of garlic / horseradish (28%), alcohol rubs (16%), compresses / socks with vinegar (14%) or boiled palinca (10%) continue to be used as cold remedies and the flu.
The consumption of food supplements in the last year
Turning our attention to the types of food supplements preferred in the last year, we observe, on the one hand, a considerable reduction in consumption, and on the other hand, a change in the top of Romanians’ preferences compared to November 2021 when we were in the midst of a pandemic.
Thus, 48% of consumers opted for cold and flu supplements (vs. 57% in November 2021), and 42% took vitamins and minerals (vs. 81% in November 2021). Immune-boosting supplements are consumed by 40% of respondents (vs. 70% in November 2021).
By gender, women take more vitamins and minerals (50% women vs. 34% men), as well as immune supplements (49% women vs. 30% men).
What Romanians take into account when choosing a pharmacy
Romanians prefer to purchase medicines or food supplements from physical locations, most choosing the nearest pharmacies (49%) or large discount pharmacies (35%). 13% of respondents declare that they prefer to place orders online, to a significantly lesser extent young people between 18-24 years old (4%) who prefer the efficiency offered by nearby pharmacies (69%) or the elderly over 55 years old (7% ) – age category less used to using modern technology.
Regarding the criteria Romanians take into account when choosing a pharmacy, the most attractive aspects are prices (64%), available promotions/offers (36%), location proximity (35%), product diversity (27%) and friendliness / promptness of pharmacists (23%). At the opposite pole, the lowest scores are recorded by criteria such as recommendations from acquaintances (4%) or advertisements (4%).
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About Reveal Marketing Research
Reveal Marketing Research is a full-service market research company, specialized in market research, sociological studies, customer insight, business strategy, market development. With expertise in over 20 industries, Reveal Marketing Research believes that market research is the basis for the right decisions and brand positioning. Qualitative and quantitative solutions have been helping companies in Romania and Europe for 14 years.
Methodology: The Reveal Marketing Research study was conducted online between 13-18.01.2023 on a representative sample for the universe of people aged 18+, internet users, from urban and rural areas. The sample size was 1003 respondents, and the maximum sampling error is +/- 3.1% at a 95% confidence level.