Post by Remy CHARLES

Whenever I travel, I have a small habit: I pop into local pharmacies just to see how things work. After so many years in consumer health (and growing up "in a pharmacy", it’s become second nature — a quick walk around, a look at the shelves, noticing what feels familiar and what doesn’t. Last week in Malaysia and Hong Kong, that habit reminded me of something I’ve often seen. You step inside and immediately realise the whole experience is different from what many of us expect. The way products are grouped, how people browse, how staff interact, even the general “rhythm” of the store — it all influences how people choose what to buy. And it’s funny how often we forget that these differences aren’t just cultural. They’re built into the point‑of‑purchase environment itself. Very recently, living in the UK, I had a conversation with someone who talked to me about consumer health from their "Boots experience". I had to point out that it was a very Anglo-Saxon experience that cannot be generalised. That’s why I’m sharing this post from Staytec. It ties back to a simple idea I keep coming back to: in consumer health, the moment of purchase is part of the story. The product matters, of course — but so does the place where people actually encounter it. #consumerhealth #staytec #bigcaringgroup Lawrence Lim Christine Low