Dispensary Corner 20 Nov 13
November 20, 2013
“Antibiotics are not for snot”.
That’s the catchy tag-line of
an Antibiotic Awareness Week
campaign being undertaken by
health authorities in the UK.
Public Health England is pushing
home the message with research
about the “prevailing myth that
anyone with green phlegm or snot
needs a course of antibiotics to
get better”.
The agency has conducted
consumer research into snot, with
40% of respondents believing that
antibiotics are necessary for green
discharges, while clear snot or
phlegm would get better without
medication.
Shopper behaviour is the
subject of a high-tech experiment
in the UK, which is utilising a $5
million MRI scanner to determine
just what makes consumers pick
particular products.
Researchers from Bangor
University are undertaking the
study, which involves putting
patients inside the scanner
and showing them an array of
discounts and catalogue specials.
The subjects have to choose
from the offers displayed, and
the workings of their brains are
studied in real-time.
Time has so far been found
to be a key factor in behaviour,
with preliminary results showing
that consumers “only respond
rationally and mathematically for
the first 23 minutes of their shop,”
according to the BBC.
They then begin to think more
with the emotional part of their
brain, which is not as good at
estimating value for money.
And after 40 minutes of
shopping the brain “effectively
shuts down, ceasing to form
rational thoughts altogether”.
Interestingly, the research is
being backed by three “multinational
grocery and healthcare
companies”.
Previous research has shown
that almost half of shoppers
ignore buy-one-get-one free offers
and only choose one item.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 20 Nov 13To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 20 Nov 13
