Guide
Why two brands with the same active ingredient cost different amounts
In this dataset, 52 different companies list a lozenge with an identical active ingredient statement. Here is what actually differs between them, and what does not.
Last reviewed September 2026
How identical they really are
Group every product on this site by its active ingredient statement and its dosage form, and 72 groups contain products from more than one company. These are the largest:
| Active ingredient statement | Form | Labellers | Brands | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicotine 4 mg | Lozenge | 52 | 55 | 163 |
| Nicotine 4 mg | Chewing gum | 48 | 71 | 171 |
| Nicotine 2 mg | Lozenge | 47 | 51 | 159 |
| Nicotine 2 mg | Chewing gum | 43 | 62 | 152 |
| Menthol 5.8 mg | Lozenge | 37 | 41 | 67 |
| Menthol 7.5 mg | Lozenge | 33 | 31 | 45 |
| Menthol 5.4 mg | Lozenge | 28 | 29 | 42 |
| Menthol 7.6 mg | Lozenge | 26 | 24 | 32 |
| Menthol 2.7 mg | Lozenge | 12 | 12 | 15 |
| Menthol 3.6 mg + Benzocaine 15 mg | Lozenge | 11 | 6 | 11 |
| Menthol 5.8 mg | Pastille | 8 | 6 | 23 |
| Menthol 4.8 mg | Lozenge | 7 | 9 | 14 |
Computed from the 1,260 listings on this site. Two products are in the same group only if their active ingredient names, their strengths and their dosage form all match exactly. FDA National Drug Code Directory, retrieved 4 September 2026.
What is the same
Within one of those groups, the regulatory claim is identical. The same active ingredient at the same strength in the same dosage form is making the same statement to FDA, and if the products are monograph products they are inside the same monograph with the same permitted label wording.
Frequently they are also physically the same, because one contract manufacturer supplies several labellers. The listing does not say who made a product, only who put its name on it, so this is visible as a pattern rather than as a fact you can read off a single row.
What genuinely differs
- The inactive ingredients. Flavour, sweetener, colour and the base the lozenge is pressed or cast from. This is where most of the perceptible difference lives, and it is not trivial: it is the entire experience of using the product. See active and inactive ingredients.
- The pack. Count per pack, wrapper, tin or bag. A price comparison that ignores the count is not a price comparison.
- Everything that is not the product. Advertising, shelf position, distribution and the margin a brand can sustain.
What a brand name is
438 brand names appear in this dataset against 157 companies. A brand name is a field in a filing. It is chosen by the company, it is not checked against anything, and it can be changed without changing the product.
None of this means a brand is worthless. Consistency, quality control and the fact that the box will contain what the box says are real, and they are not visible in a registration database. What the database can tell you is exactly where the difference is not: it is not in the active ingredient.
How to check in a shop
Turn the box over. The Drug Facts panel gives the active ingredient and the amount per lozenge in the first two lines. Two panels with the same first two lines are the same drug at the same dose. Then divide the price by the count.
That comparison is arithmetic, and this site can help you do it. What to take, and whether to take anything, is a different question and belongs with a pharmacist.
Lozenges.com is a reference publication built from FDA product listings and drug labels. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, it does not recommend any product for any condition, and it is not a substitute for a pharmacist or a doctor.