Strepsils

Strepsils in brief

• Rank: #74 of 100 in UK's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026; #8 of 14 in Consumer & FMCG.
• WCRC Power Score: 63.28 out of 100.
• Founded: 1958, by Boots Company (owner until Reckitt Benckiser bought Boots Healthcare International, agreed 2005).
• Owner: Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, Slough, England.
• Leadership: Kris Licht, Chief Executive Officer of Reckitt.
• Latest revenue: £14.2bn revenue (FY2025, year to Dec 2025, +0.3%), group revenue of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, as per company filings.

What makes Strepsils powerful

Strepsils is one of the best-known names in sore-throat relief and a long-standing part of Reckitt's Self Care portfolio, which grew strongly in 2025 with high single-digit non-seasonal OTC growth. Its lozenges are sold through pharmacies and grocers in many markets, and the brand's familiar flavours and packaging make it a default choice for many consumers.

Reckitt is now stretching Strepsils beyond lozenges. After a first launch in Poland, the Strepsils Cough Dual Action range of syrups is rolling out globally, taking the brand into a larger cough category where its sore-throat credentials help build trust. After the sale of Essential Home, Reckitt has more management attention and marketing money for health brands, with Core Reckitt reporting 5.2% like-for-like growth. That backing helps Strepsils defend shelf space against local and own-label lozenges.

Reckitt is rolling out a Strepsils Cough Dual Action range of syrups worldwide after a first launch in Poland.

Why Strepsils ranks #74

Strepsils ranks 74th with a WCRC Power Score of 63.28, between Admiral above and Gaviscon below. Trust (68) is its strongest pillar, as a familiar remedy for sore throats, and Positioning and recall (64) is solid. Product and innovation (62) is steady as Reckitt stretches the name into sprays and cough syrup, Digital and financial (60) reflects Reckitt's £14.2bn group revenue rather than brand figures, and Sustainability and governance (58) holds it back.

The Achilles' heel

Strepsils depends on the cold and flu season, so a mild winter can cut sales sharply. Lozenges are easy for rivals and retailers to copy at lower prices, and moving into cough syrups puts the brand against established competitors. Reckitt has warned of a challenging environment in Europe in 2026, one of Strepsils' most important regions.

The 2026 story

Reckitt is extending Strepsils into cough syrups, rolling out its Cough Dual Action range globally after a first launch in Poland, part of a wider push in Self Care. The group completed the sale of its Essential Home business and returned about £1.6bn to shareholders through a special dividend. Under chief executive Kris Licht, Reckitt expects Core like-for-like growth of 4% to 5% in 2026.

Pillar profile

Provisional desk scores out of 100, for the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit to validate.

Versus its nearest rivals

Questions people ask

Also featured in

• Most powerful Consumer & FMCG brands
• Most powerful brands in England

Key facts

Sources

• Annual report and published financial results of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc
• Company website, official announcements and press releases
• Published interviews and statements by the leadership
• WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer sentiment, ratings and reviews, search demand, media and social data