Shoppers Drug Mart has entered the burgeoning herbal remedies market with the launch of its own line of Life Brand Herbal Supplements.

Wendy Brown, marketing manager, vitamins and otc for corporate brands at Shoppers, says Life Brand is a trusted leader in the vitamin category, so it was only natural that the company extend the brand into herbals.

She says to reinforce that feeling of trust with customers, a din – or Drug Identification Number – has been obtained for as many of the Life Brand Herbal Supplements as possible.

Brown says it was important for Life Brand to obtain dins and to test both the raw and finished products because recent negative publicity with respect to the amount and quality of herbs in some herbal remedies has spawned a buyer-beware feeling on the part of consumers.

Fourteen of the 32 Life Brand products carry a din. (din numbers were not possible for those herbs that fell under the food category.)

A din means the product contains the amount of herb deemed to be a clinical dosage by the federal Health Protection Branch, and products assigned a din can make specific advertising claims with respect to self-medication provided suitable support for the claim is supplied.

In Canada, the herbal market is estimated to be worth more than $150 million and growing.

Shoppers has launched the herbals with a percentage-off offer in its current flyer, as well as point-of-purchase brochures and displays, and in-store radio.

Print ads will be running by the end of the year and may extend to Shoppers’ ongoing outdoor campaign.

TBWA Chiat/Day of Toronto handles advertising for Shoppers Drug Mart.