Meda is investing £200,000 in a campaign to market its Difflam sore throat products as an OTC brand this winter.

Pharmacists will be offered in-store promotional show cards and shelf-edgers to attract and educate customers about the pharmacy-only sore throat rinse and spray.

And a consumer PR campaign including social media activity has been designed to encourage customers to ask pharmacists for the brand by name.

Philip Longworth, senior product manager for Meda, said that despite the trend for 3-in-1 throat products, 50 per cent of people with coughs or sore throats were still using OTC symptom-specific treatments. "This means there is tremendous scope for pharmacists to convert their customers to Difflam," he said.  Meda 01773 510123