Products and Pricing
Living Goods’ Broad Product Mix Enhances
Impact and Sustainability
Living Goods promotes and distributes four categories of products targeting a range of vital health and household needs. The diverse product mix increases sales for the Health Promoters and thereby the odds that they will remain engaged and effective in the long-term.
- Prevention: LG emphasizes keeping families healthy through the promotion of products like insecticide treated bednets, water treatment, vitamin A and condoms.
- Treatment: The product list includes essential front line cures for the major killers malaria and diarrhoeal disease, as well as treatments for worms and more common ailments like flu and cold.
- Personal Hygiene: To improve the economic sustainability of the model, Health Promoters also offer personal care products like feminine hygiene, hand soap, skin lotion and toothpaste.
- Save Money - Make Money: Lastly, LG is experimenting with selling products that contribute to household income or savings such as foot-powered irrigation pumps, solar lanterns and high efficiency cook stoves. The agricultural products improve nutrition as well as income, while the lighting and cooking products not only save money but reduce indoor pollution that can cause respiratory problems.
Agents may only offer products acquired from Living Goods and must adhere to a standard pricing. In addition, agents are required to carry an adequate stock of ‘essential’ health items at all times. LG will collaborate with local Ministries of Health on prioritizing and promoting key health products.
PRODUCT LIST
Health
- Malaria : Insecticide treated bednets, insecticides, malaria treatments
- Contraception : male condoms, birth control pills, injectible contraceptives
- Clean Water : Water treatment solution/tabs, water filters
- Nutrition: Complimentary fortified weaning foods, nutritional biscuits, nutritional supplements
- Wound Care : Bandages, bandaids, topical anti-bacterials
- Oral re-hydration salts / zinc
- De-worming tablets (anti-helminths)
- Iodized salt
- Vitamin A
- Antibacterial hand soap
- Paracetamol
- Cough medicine
- Antacids
- Eyeglasses and eye care
Personal Care
- Hand soaps
- Feminine hygiene
- Toothpaste
- Laundry soap
- Skin lotions, cold creams, Vaseline, foot cream
- Athlete's foot powder
- Shampoo
- Cosmetics
Save Money - Make Money
- Solar lanterns and chargers
- Efficient cook stoves
- Micro irrigation systems
- Pedal Irrigation Pumps
- High Yield Seeds
Other Services Under Consideration
- TB DOTS administration
- AIDS tests / VCT
- Telemedicine services – e.g. “Call-a-Nurse”
- Collection of medical data for health agencies
Competitive Pricing
LG endeavors to set prices almost always at or, more often, below relevant competition. Most products are acquired at the lowest possible cost and sold with a small margin. This provides an incentive for the Health Promoter and gives the product greater perceived value to the consumer. At the same time, wherever possible, LG also endeavors to acquire products subsidized by local or bi-lateral governments, NGOs or pharmaceutical companies. LG offers subsidized products on terms agreed with by the source of subsidy – in most cases this will mean free or substantially below market. LG will devote considerable effort to testing prices over time to balance the imperatives of maximizing the health impact and ensuring sustainability for the CHPs.
