While cold and flu season may conjure thoughts of immune-boosting supplements and functional wellness products, in reality, consumer interest in products that support immune health is no longer confined to illness or allergy-prone times of year. According to Health + Wellness A Culture of Wellness 2013, a report from The Hartman Group, consumer attitudes have shifted to reflect a desire for total, year-round wellness. Products geared for immune health support are following suit, branching out of pill formats and into more lifestyle-oriented functional foods and beverages.
“Over the past decade, we have observed a shift away from a perfunctory, ascetic, reactive and compliant notion of wellness to one that is more experiential, positive, holistic, proactive and self-assessed," the report stated. “There has been a cultural shift—now complete for all intents and purposes—from ‘health’ to ‘quality of life;’ from reactive health to proactive wellness."
Consumers know more about how to maintain their own health, and “this broadened notion of wellness has become a tacit part of culture rather than a lifestyle choice or an alternative movement," according to the report.
Market research from Frost & Sullivan confirmed that the market for immune health products is vibrant and growing. Reuben Sequeira, chemicals, materials and food research analyst with Frost & Sullivan, said many supplements make up the immune health segment. Those ranking among the most popular for addressing colds, influenza and immune health conditions include amino acids, cranberry extracts, garlic, melatonin, multivitamins, probiotics, resveratrol, super fruit supplements, vitamins B/B complex, C and D, and zinc supplements. “Together, these represent a big market that is worth around USD $12 billion and is growing in the range of 5 percent to 7 percent," he said. “This market encompasses both synthetic and natural/organic based ingredients, the latter representing a faster growing, but very small percentage of the market in between 10 percent and 20 percent."
Read the full article, “Taking the Pulse of the Immune Health Market," in INSIDER’s Immune Health Digital Issue to learn about the segment’s demographics, top-selling ingredients and product trends.