While global consumer interest in longevity-supporting solutions is clear, the number of people actually taking supplements still lags behind. So, what’s holding potential shoppers back?
Market insights provider Lumina Intelligence is looking to answer this question with its latest research, which identifies key consumer beliefs, priorities and purchase habits related to longevity and healthspan.
Ewa Hudson, director at Lumina Intelligence, described the research – which is being presented at the inaugural Nutra Healthspan Summit, hosted by The Grocer’s sister title NutraIngredients – as “one of the most interesting” the firm has conducted.
“Our data provides a 360-degree view of consumer beliefs around extending their healthspan – defined as the years of life spent in good health,” she said. “Companies need to understand where consumers are right now in terms of their health concerns, beliefs and barriers to purchase, as well as their health wishes to fine tune their NPD pipelines and marketing.”
UK respondents under the spotlight
More than eight out of 10 (86%) UK consumers said they had started to think about their health in relation to ageing. Yet, when asked specifically about ’healthspan’, results were less clear cut, with just 37% recognising the term.
More than half of UK respondents (51%) agreed dietary supplements can extend healthspan, while seven in 10 (70%) said they were proactive about maintaining long-term health. Despite this, less than one in three (27%) were actively taking dietary supplements to counteract natural ageing.
The data indicates a clear gap between interest in extending healthspan and uptake of supplements targeting this area.
Just under a quarter (24%) of consumers claimed ‘cost’ was their biggest barrier to purchase, while 13% said they did not believe the claims made, 11% said there wasn’t enough proof/research, and 8% cited safety concerns. This varied significantly depending on gender, age group and living situation.
“We can see it’s early days but they are ready for the science to bring solutions. There’s a warm market of consumers open to the likes of cellular health claims and other claims which are quite new,” Hudson said. “But for the industry to acquire these consumers, we need to understand their motivation, where they learn of healthspan supplements, which ingredients they already find helpful, the health parameters they track with health tech tools, what would make them try and trust a new longevity supplement… the list of data insights is long. And of course, the science really needs to deliver.”
Delving into the specific aspects of health that consumers associated with longevity, the data revealed key concerns were: physical strength, loss of mobility, chronic diseases, energy and stamina, mental clarity and focus, and cognitive decline.
Bringing academia and industry together
The Nutra Healthspan Summit will deliver cutting-edge science alongside business strategy, and actionable insights from the world’s leading scientists, brands, and innovators in cellular ageing.
“With the global longevity and anti-ageing supplements market growing at almost 8% year on year until 2032, this represents one of the hottest segments for food supplements,” said Stephen Daniells, editor-in-chief of NutraIngredients.
“Layer on the wider functional food and beverage play, and you’re looking at a global category that’s already valued in excess of $25bn. Consumer hope for these products is clear, but the marketing hype is often not aligned with the science,” he continued.
“It was clear to us that the time is absolutely right to explore this market, to better understand the fundamentals of ageing and realistically explore how nutrition and specific ingredients can impact these fundamentals. We’re bringing together some of the top names in ageing research with some of the biggest and most innovative brands in the space for two days of candid discussion and networking to help advance the conversation around all things healthspan and longevity.”
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