Decongestant oil brand Olbas is extending its range with the launch of Olbas Pelargonium Herbal Cough & Cold Relief Tablets (RRP £7.99 / 21 tablets), providing retailers with a herbal medicine to meet growing consumer demand for natural cough and cold solutions.
Offering naturally-derived relief from within, the new tablets are used to relieve the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, including the common cold, coughs, sore throat, and blocked or runny nose, based on traditional use only.
Containing a medicinal extract from the roots of Pelargonium sidoides, a plant with a long history of traditional use in respiratory care, Olbas Pelargonium is suitable for adults and children aged 12 and over. The easy-to-take tablet format fits conveniently into consumers’ daily routines, with one tablet taken three times daily (morning, midday and evening). The tablets contain no added sugar, no
The launch comes as demand for natural self-care continues to rise. The PAGB’s 2025 Self-Care Census found that one in five UK adults actively prefers to manage minor health conditions using natural treatments, while more than half (53 per cent) want more OTC medicines made with natural ingredients. This shift is being led by younger shoppers, with Gen Z and millennials now accounting for a disproportionate share of wellness spend.
The commercial opportunity is clear. The cold and flu decongestant category is currently worth £440m, and tablets are the fastest-growing format by value share. With relatively few pelargonium tablets currently available in the UK, Olbas Pelargonium provides retailers with the opportunity to introduce a different herbal medicine into a growing segment.
“Olbas has helped families manage coughs, colds and congestion for generations,” said Brand Manager Rachel Realf. “The launch of Olbas Pelargonium extends that trusted heritage into a growing area of natural self-care, offering shoppers a traditional herbal medicine that provides naturally derived relief from within while complementing the wider Olbas range.