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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Zinc oxide vs Emollient bath and shower preparations

National NHS prescribing compared (Prescription Cost Analysis)
Data updated April 2026

Emollient bath and shower preparations was dispensed 3.6× as often as Zinc oxide in April 2026 — 32,092 items versus 8,883 in England.

8,883items

Zinc oxide · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

32,092items

Emollient bath and shower preparations · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Zinc oxide versus Emollient bath and shower preparations: national items dispensed by month

▬ Zinc oxide   ·   ╌ Emollient bath and shower preparations

0 28k 55k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 Emollient bath a… 8,883 Jan 2021: 13k Feb 2021: 12k Mar 2021: 13k Apr 2021: 12k May 2021: 12k Jun 2021: 12k Jul 2021: 12k Aug 2021: 11k Sep 2021: 12k Oct 2021: 12k Nov 2021: 12k Dec 2021: 12k Jan 2022: 11k Feb 2022: 10k Mar 2022: 12k Apr 2022: 11k May 2022: 11k Jun 2022: 11k Jul 2022: 11k Aug 2022: 11k Sep 2022: 11k Oct 2022: 10k Nov 2022: 10k Dec 2022: 10k Jan 2023: 10k Feb 2023: 9k Mar 2023: 11k Apr 2023: 10k May 2023: 11k Jun 2023: 11k Jul 2023: 10k Aug 2023: 10k Sep 2023: 10k Oct 2023: 10k Nov 2023: 10k Dec 2023: 10k Jan 2024: 10k Feb 2024: 9k Mar 2024: 9k Apr 2024: 10k May 2024: 10k Jun 2024: 9k Jul 2024: 10k Aug 2024: 9k Sep 2024: 9k Oct 2024: 10k Nov 2024: 10k Dec 2024: 10k Jan 2025: 10k Feb 2025: 9k Mar 2025: 9k Apr 2025: 9k May 2025: 10k Jun 2025: 9k Jul 2025: 10k Aug 2025: 9k Sep 2025: 10k Oct 2025: 9k Nov 2025: 9k Dec 2025: 9k Jan 2026: 9k Feb 2026: 8k Mar 2026: 9k Apr 2026: 9k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Zinc oxide versus Emollient bath and shower preparations, April 2026
Measure Zinc oxide Emollient bath and shower preparations
Items, April 2026 8,883 32,092
Items, last 12 months 109,360 393,107
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £83,622 £220,666

See the full profile for Zinc oxide or Emollient bath and shower preparations.