NMI Releases New Findings

HARLEYSVILLE, Pa.—

• More than three-quarters of consumers are looking to enhance energy, according to NMI, and they are using supplements (59 percent), food (51 percent) and beverages (30 percent) to achieve their goals.They’re looking to retailers to supply low-sugar foods/beverages (used by 69 percent of consumers), as well as sugar-free foods/beverages (66 percent). Low-glycemic foods/beverages are also sought by 42 percent of consumers, with one-third of consumers actually looking for packaged goods with a low glycemic index.
• U.S. shoppers spent $4.9 billion on natural and organic personal care products in 2005, up 22 percent from the previous year; that figure could rise to nearly $11 billion in 2009, predicts NMI (www.NMISolutions.com). More than half of consumers (53 percent) are looking for products made with premium ingredients, and 62 percent of them want products with a specific benefit or claim—differentiation on the shelf is the name of the game. And understanding whether the shoppers are the Naturalaires—driven to buy organic and willing to pay a premium—or Indulgents, who want a sensory experience with salon brand identification, can pay dividends at the register.
• Consumers are turning to supplements for health solutions, as sales of condition-specific supplements are growing at a 17-percent, five-year compound annual growth rate, with joint health, heart health and bone health products leading the way. NMI is also seeing the condition-specific trend in other packaged goods including foods, beverages and personal care products. Furthermore, supplement formats are influencing purchasing decisions, with non-traditional forms such as chewables, chewing gum, quick-dissolve strips and oral sprays attracting interest from consumers tired of or having difficulty with taking pills.
• The Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) concept is gaining traction, according to NMI, and its LOHAS database is devoted to studying consumers’ attitudes toward the environment, ethical consumption and sustainability, and how those attitudes affect purchasing behavior. Consumers are segmented into different segments, including LOHAS, Drifters or Unconcerneds, based on specific attitudes and behaviors; custom research on new products is available.

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