Haleon’s focus on household convenience

Haleon House (Photo credit: Kristin Laird)

Haleon wants consumers to know that they understand the role convenience stores play in household remedies. That urgent run from the house for that emergency bottle of over-the-counter medicine is especially top of mind during flu season.

Bringing household remedy brands under one roof

On October 23, Haleon Canada created Health House, a one-day immersive experience that brought all their brands under one roof. The ordinary-looking house in Parkdale showcased household brands in their natural habitat.

The children’s bedroom featured Children’s Advil and Junior Advil; Adult and children’s versions of Buckley’s cough syrup were located in the bathroom; Centrum vitamins, VoltaCare and Voltaren were placed in the master bedroom.

Bridging the gap between consumer awareness and the Haleon brand

While consumers may be familiar with Haleon’s products, they’re less familiar with Haleon itself. The brand activation helps store operators and consumers put the popular names to Haleon’s brand. “The interactive experience is meant to get us closer to our consumers because we know the importance of hearing from them and understanding their needs,” said Sarey Wulf, head of corporate affairs at Haleon Canada “But, we also help the consumer understand a little bit more preventative health and the importance of self-care.”

Packaging trends: Portability, single-dose options and affordability

Wulf recognizes the growing trend toward travel-size and smaller, single-dose options. “We recognize convenience stores operate in this unique environment. There’s limited shelf space, it's a quick grab, something small and compact in a lot of cases. As shopping habits evolve, we're continuing to assess our own packaging formats. I think outside of the convenience store channel, people are looking for smaller pack sizes, broadly speaking, from an affordability perspective as well,” reminds Wulf. “It's not only about portability, ease-of-use and convenience, but also there's an affordability component to small pack sizes and we're acutely aware of this as people's lifestyles change and affordability becomes more of a topic for Canadians.”

READ: In sickness and in health: Boost sales of cough, cold and OTC medications

Expanding the lineup for cold and flu relief

Haleon’s latest product portfolio highlights the August 2026 launch of Buckley’s Cough & Mucus Relief Extra Strength (100 ml). Continuing their strong momentum, top-performing 2025 cough, cold and flu (CCF) innovations return to the lineup, including Buckley’s Lozenges Extra Strength, Buckley’s Nighttime Complete Extra Strength and Buckley’s Nighttime Complete Extra Strength Plus Mucus Relief.

Beyond core CCF, Haleon is expanding into adjacent categories with three new additions: Advil Migraine & Headache fast-acting liquid gel capsules, VoltaCare Cooling Cream for instant-contact muscle, joint and back pain relief as well as a reformulated Centrum Adult 50+ Complete Multivitamin.

Retailer strategy: Securing supply chains and managing seasonal demand

“I think these brands have consistently resonated in the convenience shopper landscape, where people are seeking accessible, quick solutions,” adds Wulf. “I'd say more broadly, we're seeing Canadians take a more proactive approach to self-care: Cough and cold season is a really good example of that. People prepare for this season. They know kids are back in school. They know they need to work and continue on with life as symptoms present. We continue to really work closely with our retail partners, including convenience, to just make sure that Canadians can access the products they rely on where they are when they're there. “

For retailers who know that an uptick in colds and flu means taking care of their inventory and ensuring customers can locate OTC remedies easily. Wulf emphasizes the role inventory plays for the company as well as for the convenience channel. “There's been a number of disruptions globally and it's definitely top of mind for folks. I would say reliable access to everyday health products is our number one priority,”states Wulf. “We are laser-focused on making sure that our customers and consumers can access our products, especially when demand increases, because we know that predictability: Demand increases in the fall.”

The household setting really “brought home” the point that Canadians are looking for convenience in part of their daily routine. “I think the conversation doesn't end at the house,” added Wulf. “It's a two day activation that we hope that people will take with them the need to practice self care.” Wulf adds that she hopes the attendees felt empowered by the activation. “I think the convenience retailer plays a really important role in that journey.”