Focus On Healthcare & Supplements: 18 May

Focus on Healthcare and Supplements by Rob Brown

Download the feature synopsis PDF here

Publishing: 18 May

Advertising deadline: 10 May

Submissions deadline: 3 May

The Story

Food is getting less nutritious. So say studies comparing what we eat today with decades ago. That methodology may have been questioned, but the idea of a nutritional gap is making many consumers turn to supplements. Where we once would have relied on a balanced diet for our vitamin and mineral intake, the supplements market is now worth just shy of £500m. But the media is now focusing on the importance of a healthy and varied diet as opposed to supplementation. So could this diet-led messaging damage the market?

Key themes:

Vitamin D: It’s the fastest growing single vitamin. According to Mintel, it could overtake vitamin C. So why is this? Is the NHS backing crucial here? Can other vitamin markets learn anything from this

Brands: Brands are doing better than own label in this market. Why? Is it down to positioning? How are brands changing their messaging to target this new shopper, who may be more dubious of taking supplements than before?

Multivitamins: Sales are stagnating, according to Kantar figures. Is this down to consumers looking for more specific vitamins to target certain areas? Is this a sign shoppers believe they are getting most of what they need from their food?

Supplements in food and drink: Some brands are developing teas that include NRV amounts of vitamins. Is this more appealing to today’s consumer? Does it somehow feel more natural than taking a tablet?

Collagen: In China, it’s established itself as a key beauty supplement. And in the UK, brands are hoping to do the same. Plenty of marketing investment has been put into growing the collagen supplement market, and women’s magazines have cottoned onto the idea. But just how are sales performing?

Innovations: We identify four new products that ideally have not appeared in The Grocer before. including launch date, image and RSP.

Kantar data: Using Kantar commentary, we explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of certain sub-categories.

Nielsen data: Using Nielsen commentary, we explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of the top 10 brands.

Online Listicle to go live on 17 May: What are the main innovations & how are they shaping the market