GSK Consumer to focus on specialist oral care portfolio

Moneycontrol Bureau

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, a unit of multinational pharma major GlaxoSmithkline, is planning to grow its oral care portfolio with a focus on the specialist healthcare segment in India, a top company official said on Wednesday.

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The company entered the oral care segment in 2011 with the launch of sensitive toothpaste Sensodyne and recently launched Paradontax toothpaste, which addresses gum related issues.

"In a short period of two years, we have gone from not existing in the market to becoming market leader in the sensitive toothpaste segment. We are completely committed to the specialist oral care segment," Jayant Singh, Executive VP - Marketing, said on the sidelines of CII FMCG and Retail summit in Mumbai.

While the oral care segment is growing at 14-15 segment, the sensitive category has seen 40-45 percent growth, he said.

Singh said the company will focus on the specialist segment like sensitivity and gum care to launch new products and doesn't plan any mass market product.

Competition in the oral care space is increasing. Colgate Palmolive and Hindustan Unilever too have launched sensitive toothpastes. Procter & Gamble too plans to launch toothpastes under the Oral-B brand. P&G currently sells Oral-B toothbrushes in the country.

Colgate remains the market leader in India's oral care market, estimated to be over Rs 5,000 crore.

Nachiket Kelkar
nachiket.kelkar@network18online.com