Constipation laxative are pharmaceutical or over-the-counter products designed to relieve infrequent, difficult, or absent bowel movements by softening stool, increasing stool bulk, or stimulating intestinal muscle contractions. Users include a broad population from elderly individuals prone to chronic constipation, to younger adults and children experiencing occasional or opioid-induced constipation. These products are deployed either for short-term relief or long-term maintenance, depending on the underlying health condition and clinical guidance.
The constipation laxative market consists of sales by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) of constipation laxative that are used in situations ranging from occasional constipation due to dietary changes or travel, to chronic conditions such as chronic idiopathic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and opioid-induced constipation.
The global constipation laxative market was valued at $5,532.59 million in 2019 which grew till 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 4.00%.
Changing Dietary Patterns
During the historic period, the changing dietary patterns supported the growth of the constipation laxative market. The increasing consumption of processed foods, low-fiber diets and sedentary lifestyles contributed to a rise in digestive issues, including constipation. This growing prevalence of constipation drove higher demand for laxative products, thereby supporting the overall growth of the constipation laxative market. For example, in March 2024, according to Northeastern University's Network Science Institute, a multi-disciplinary research community supporting innovative research and training in the USA, 73% of the food on the grocery store shelves is ultra-processed food (UPF) in the USA and the USA was the top-ranked country for UPF consumption in the world, alongside the UK. The British and Canadian populations also consumed over half of their calories in the form of ready-to-eat foods, which are considered ultra-processed foods. Therefore, the changing dietary patterns drove the growth of the constipation laxative market.
Expanding Access To Affordable Gastrointestinal Therapies Through Generic Drug Development
Companies operating in the constipation laxative market are focusing on developing generic drug, to offer cost-effective alternatives to branded medications and increase accessibility for a broader patient population. The aim is to strengthen their presence in the competitive gastrointestinal therapeutics segment. For instance, in June 2025, Lupin Limited, an India-based pharmaceutical company, launched Prucalopride Tablets (1 mg and 2 mg) in the U.S. after securing approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These tablets are the generic equivalents of Takeda's Motegrity and are prescribed for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults. The launch expands Lupin's U.S. gastrointestinal portfolio and addresses the growing demand for cost-effective treatments. The reference drug, Motegrity, recorded approximately USD 184 million in annual U.S. sales, highlighting a significant market opportunity.
The global constipation laxative market is concentrated, with large players operating in the market. The top 10 competitors in the market made up 38.43%
Constipation Laxative Global Market Opportunities And Strategies To 2034 from The Business Research Company provides the strategists; marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global constipation laxative market as it emerges from the COVID-19 shut down.
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Where is the largest and fastest-growing market for constipation laxative? How does the market relate to the overall economy; demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The constipation laxative market global report from The Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics; size and growth; segmentation; regional and country breakdowns; competitive landscape; market shares; trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's history and forecasts market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider constipation laxative market; and compares it with other markets.
The report covers the following chapters
- Introduction and Market Characteristics - Brief introduction to the segmentations covered in the market, definitions and explanations about the segment by drug type, by route of administration and by distribution channel.
- Key Trends - Highlights the major trends shaping the global market. This section also highlights likely future developments in the market.
- Growth Analysis And Strategic Analysis Framework- Analysis on PESTEL, end use industries, market growth rate, global historic (2019-2024) and forecast (2024-2029, 2034F) market values and drivers and restraints that support and control the growth of the market in the historic and forecast periods, forecast growth contributors and total addressable market (TAM).
- Global Market Size And Growth - Global historic (2019-2024) and forecast (2024-2029, 2034F) market values and drivers and restraints that support and control the growth of the market in the historic and forecast periods
- Regional And Country Analysis - Historic (2019-2024) and forecast (2024-2029, 2034F) market values and growth and market share comparison by region and country.
- Market Segmentation - Contains the market values (2019-2024) (2024-2029, 2034F) and analysis for each segment by drug type, by route of administration and by distribution channel in the market. Historic (2019-2024) and forecast (2024-2029) and (2029-2034) market values and growth and market share comparison by region market.
- Regional Market Size and Growth- Regional market size (2024), historic (2019-2024) and forecast (2024-2029, 2034F) market values and growth and market share comparison of countries within the region. This report includes information on all the regions Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa and major countries within each region.
- Competitive Landscape- Details on the competitive landscape of the market, estimated market shares and company profiles of the leading players.
- Other Major And Innovative Companies- Details on the company profiles of other major and innovative companies in the market.
- Competitive Benchmarking- Briefs on the financials comparison between major players in the market.
- Competitive Dashboard- Briefs on competitive dashboard of major players.
- Key Mergers and Acquisitions- Information on recent mergers and acquisitions in the market is covered in the report. This section gives key financial details of mergers and acquisitions which have shaped the market in recent years.
- Recent Developments- Information on recent developments in the market covered in the report.
- Market Opportunities And Strategies- Describes market opportunities and strategies based on findings of the research, with information on growth opportunities across countries, segments and strategies to be followed in those markets.
- Conclusions And Recommendations- This section includes recommendations for constipation laxative market providers in terms of product/service offerings geographic expansion, marketing strategies and target groups next five years.
- Appendix- This section includes details on the NAICS codes covered, abbreviations and currencies codes used in this report.
Markets Covered:
- 1) By Drug Type: Bulk-Forming Laxatives; Osmotic Laxative; Stimulant Laxatives; Other Drugs
- 2) By Route Of Administration: Oral; Rectal
- 3) By Distribution Channel: Retail Pharmacies; Drug Stores; Online Pharmacies; Hospital Pharmacies
- Companies Mentioned: GlaxoSmithKline Plc (Ex-Lax); Sanofi S.A; Bayer AG; Abbott Laboratories; Boehringer Ingelheim
- Countries: China; Australia; India; Indonesia; Japan; South Korea; USA; Canada; Brazil; France; Germany; UK; Italy; Spain; Russia
- Regions: Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; North America; South America; Middle East; Africa
- Time-series: Five years historic and ten years forecast.
- Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets; GDP proportions; expenditure per capita; constipation laxative indicators comparison.
- Data segmentations: country and regional historic and forecast data; market share of competitors; market segments.
- Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.