IIRC cold eze only has about 2mg zinc gluconate per lozenge. You can skip all that sugar and buy 25mg, 50mg, and other sized tablets for pretty cheap at near any drugstore. I’ve had good success with 25mg.
I’ve used zinc gluconate for over twenty years. That works for people who get a sore throat before the full blown cold.
If the cold always starts with a stuffy head, it usually doesn’t work.
Zinc acetate is the new more effective kid on the block.