Customers’ response to the offer of substitute brands of medicines for the prescribed ones – An exploratory study of consumer behavior in North India

Patients/customers are offered a substitute brand of medicine generally when the prescribed brand is not available at retail store. However, the customers respond in various ways to such an offer. There are many factors that affect the acceptance/rejection of the substitute brand by the customers. This study’s objective is to categorize consumers’ responses to the offer for substitute brand of medicine in place of the prescribed one in north India. Another objective of the study is to identify common characteristics of customers falling in different response categories. Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with chemists/retailers and customers. The common responses of the customers to the offer of substitute drugs were- straightway acceptance, acceptance of substitute brand after the assurance of substitute being chemically equivalent by the pharmacist and rejection of the substitute. Education, age, trust on pharmacist and perceived seriousness of illness were the main factors affecting the acceptance of substitution.