David Ridley
Senior Editor
Latest From David Ridley
Over The Counter 2 Apr 2024: Analyzing The Spin-Out Trend In Consumer Health, With HBW’s Malcolm Spicer And Tom Gallen
In this episode, HBW Insight’s Europe and US editors bring their expertise to bear on the current the trend towards standalone OTC companies in global consumer health. We look at four major players: Haleon, which separated from GSK almost two years ago; Kenvue, soon to celebrate its first anniversary as a new company; Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, which is poised to split from its pharma parent; and Bayer, which has decided to buck the trend, holding on to its consumer health division. We discuss some of the advantages of becoming a standalone company, for example in leaning into a wider concept of self-care.
EU Parliament Stricter Than Council On Medicines And Medical Devices Packaging
The EU Parliament's Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee takes a compromise position with regards to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Medicines and medical devices should be exempt, but only until 2035, at which point the European Commission should check whether the development of materials and the recycling process have progressed, and may adjust this exemption accordingly.
Haleon Smashes Toothpaste Tube Recycling Target
Haleon has rolled out 1.2bn recycle-ready tubes across the world, an achievement that the firm said is a “milestone” on its “journey towards realizing a circular economy for its product packaging.” Haleon is also introducing a more sustainable manufacturing process for several variants of its Sensodyne toothpaste brand, starting in the UK.
Over The Counter 18 Mar 2024: How AI Is Revolutionizing Personalized Wellness, With Bioniq’s Marni Allen
In this episode, HBW Insight dives into personalized wellness with Marni Allen, chief marketing officer at tailored supplements manufacturer Bioniq. Named as one of EY UK's 50 Women to Watch in 2022, Allen has over 20 years’ experience in consumer healthcare, and is now working with Bioniq to create the next generation of bespoke wellness products for consumers across the world. As well as its top tier at-home blood test-based service, Bioniq also offers an affordable questionnaire-based option, which leverages the power of AI to analyse users’ nutritional needs and provide unique supplement formulations in the post. Although personalized wellness is still somewhat niche, Allen suggests that AI-based models like Bioniq offer an attractive option for traditional consumer health companies looking to get into this fast-growing market.
EU Firms To Pre-Approve Green Claims Or Face Minimum 4% Annual Turnover Fine
Exclusion from procurement processes, confiscation of revenues, and a fine of at least 4% of annual turnover are some of the penalties the European Parliament is considering for greenwashing as part of its position on the EU Green Claims Directive.
ASA Files: How Not To Advertise A Digital Health App In The UK
ADHD-management software Happyo falls foul of UK advertising rules in a recent ASA case. The lesson: if in the UK the intended use of a digital health app is the diagnosis of a serious medical condition, supervision by a healthcare professional such as a doctor is likely to be necessary, in which case advertising to the public would also be prohibited.