Case Study: Reckitt achieves 50% lower forecasting errors and $2M+ in additional demand with Kinsa

How Reckitt ID’d $2M+ in New Product Demand & Drove 81% Incremental Sales Lift

Reckitt, the consumer goods company behind Mucinex, faced the challenge of accurately forecasting volatile and ever-shifting consumer demand for its cold and flu relief products. The unpredictable timing, severity, and location of seasonal illnesses, which was further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, made it difficult to prevent stockouts and set business strategy. To address this, Reckitt partnered with vendor Consumer Goods Technology and leveraged a health forecasting service from Kinsa.

The solution implemented by Consumer Goods Technology's partner, Kinsa, used early illness data from a network of smart thermometers to generate a reliable 12-week forecast. This enabled Reckitt to optimize its supply chain, target advertising to areas of rising illness, and better collaborate with retailers. The results were significant: forecasting errors were reduced by 50%, over $2 million in new product demand was identified, and the strategy drove an 81% incremental sales lift for new customers.

Reckitt

Sumie Mahbubani

Business Insights Lead for Upper Respiratory