Brits have gone all in on functional health.
Two-thirds of UK consumers say they are paying more attention to their health than they were a year ago, new research by Danone and Grocer Vision reveals, and 61.2% are more interested in food and drink products that offer additional health benefits such as protein, fibre, gut health or hydration support.
This mainstreaming of functional represents a huge opportunity for grocery retailers and suppliers, but it also brings new challenges.
Mainstream shoppers have very different needs and sensibilities to early adopters. Claims, formulations and marketing strategies that resonate with niche audiences don’t necessarily work at scale. Buzzy ingredients that play well on social media can confuse and intimidate in store. Above all, too narrow a focus on functionality – or the wrong kind of functionality – can distract from what really matters to shoppers, including clear, science-backed health benefits, taste, convenience and affordability.
In this new report by Grocer Vision and Danone, industry experts share their take on how grocery can make the most of functional’s big moment with clarity, credibility and commercial scale in mind. Backed by a new consumer survey commissioned exclusively for this report, it explores:
- How UK consumers’ health goals and lifestyle needs are evolving
- What’s driving demand for functional products among different age groups
- The growing role of occasions in the context of functional
- The potential impact of GLP-1s and the UPF debate
- Which future trends and emerging ingredients have genuine mainstream potential
Complete the form below to download the free report now.
