In today’s world, there continues to be an increasing focus on health and wellness. As a retailer, stocking items that support this ever-increasing industry is imperative. More than just a convenience, it’s necessary to meet consumer demand. One of the most common categories of this health and wellness industry is general first aid kit items. Necessary for home, travel, sports, and work uses, every customer who walks through your doors can benefit from a first aid kit. While the items each individual includes in their kit will vary, one thing they all have in common is the need for these products that will help them effectively tend to minor injuries, illnesses, or emergencies. From bandages to hot and cold packs to over-the-counter medications, keeping a fully stocked inventory is crucial.
The Why
Why is it so important for consumers to have a fully stocked first aid kit around in the first place? Immediate action after an injury is imperative in promoting healing and preventing an injury from worsening. It can help to:
· Provide immediate treatment. For minor injuries like cuts, bruises, sprains, and burns, immediate care can be administered at home until you get to a medical professional, if necessary, so the injury doesn’t get worse.
· Prevent infection. When it comes to injuries like cuts and scrapes, it’s important to provide treatment right away so the cut doesn’t become infected. You’re able to clean wounds to prevent infection and promote healing.
· Offer peace of mind. Having the right items on hand reduces the anxiety and worry of needing to make an emergency run to the store when an injury inevitably does occur.
· Be prepared for any situation. Creating your own kit, rather than buying one already assembled, allows you to customize the items you include. If you have a larger family, if certain types of injuries or illnesses tend to occur more often for you, or depending on the activities you are involved in, you can customize your kit to be prepared for those specific situations and your family’s particular health needs.
In terms of business, a quick look at market insights paints a clear picture of demand. In 2022, the market for first aid kits was valued at around $217 million, with estimates that it’ll surpass $359 million by 2032. This growth is attributed to an increase in focus on health and wellness, workplace safety, and the ability to create one’s own first aid solutions.1
The What
First aid supplies are some of the most common health and wellness items kept on hand. In addition to the more obvious items like bandages, antibiotic ointment, over-the-counter medicines, and gauze, here are a few items to keep in your store to align with consumers’ demands.
· Hot and cold pack. As part of the RICE method—rest, ice, compress, elevate—for healing injuries, a hot and cold pack can help reduce swelling and inflammation.
· Finger splint. This tool immobilizes your finger for quick healing after a break or strain.
· Bandage scissors. A specialized scissors, more heavy-duty than a typical scissors, can cut through metal, plastic, and cloth.
· Kids' fever reader. As an alternative to a traditional thermometer, you can apply this reusable thermometer directly to the forehead to quickly read a child’s temperature.
· Medi-scope. Easily inspect eyes, ears, nose, and throat to provide better, more detailed information to a doctor.
· Cloth ice bag. The cloth design easily conforms to any area of the body for easy application of ice for relief from swelling and inflammation.
· Finger covers. Use them to apply ointments or wear them to help protect your finger from further damage during the healing process of scrapes and cuts.
· Hot and cold eye mask. A dual-use eye mask helps provide relief from headaches and sinus congestion, whether you need heat or ice.
· Compression wrap. A reusable, moisture-wicking wrap provides cushioned support and is an alternative to disposable athletic tapes and wraps.
· Tweezers. Allows you to remove splinters or insect stingers. They can also help your hands stay clean if you use them to pick up dirty or used materials.
The How
When you realize that first aid kits are used more than in homes, the opportunities for potential consumers seem nearly endless. Individuals or families can keep them at home and in the car, but can also bring a modified, portable version along to outdoor activities such as sports or hiking. But it goes beyond individuals. There has been an increase in the use of first aid kits for businesses, too, as they increase their focus on workplace safety. Each business’s needs will look different than the next, as first aid solutions will look different from offices, to schools, to hospitals, to construction, to hospitality.
While offering first aid kit items is a start, consider how you’ll feature these items to consumers in your store. Educational tools like signage or pamphlets for product uses will bring awareness to a kit’s importance as well as what to include in one. Include reminders on the importance of keeping first aid kits up to date and checking them regularly. For example, as a New Year’s awareness campaign, you could suggest restocking and updating a first aid kit, including making sure no items are out of date, as a New Year’s health resolution. Give examples of the important items—which you sell in your store—to keep in their kit.
With the growing focus on health and safety in recent years—both by individuals and by businesses—this increased awareness brings about an increase in the demand of first aid supplies, with additional growth expected in the industry. Suggest to consumers that building one’s own kit is best, as they know what items they or their family need for their specific situation. And remind them to keep kits in multiple places, like in a convenient spot at home as well as in the car.
First aid kits allow consumers to respond to emergencies immediately. They allow for quick action and caring for minor injuries and illnesses until professional help, if it’s necessary, can be accessed. That instantaneous attention is important for helping to minimize effects and promote quicker healing. Whether bandages or over-the-counter medications or anything in between, keeping your inventory stocked with essential first aid kit items will help meet the demands of consumers. They’ll lean on you as a reliable destination for safety and injury preparedness, and in turn you’re able to help keep their homes and businesses a healthier place.
References
1. Global Market Insights First Aid Kits Market Size. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/first-aid-kits-market
