As the pandemic has worn on and people search for ways to protect themselves against the COVID-19 virus, attention to overall health and wellness has understandably increased. Demand for vitamins and supplements that support those goals has risen, too. IBIS World recently calculated that annualized revenue growth for the vitamin and supplement manufacturing industry has grown from 1.9% to 8.2%. While COVID-19 has made many industries and circumstances unpredictable, the vitamin and supplement industry is still growing, and will likely continue to do so for months and years to come. Understanding the key interests of market consumers can help your company adapt to better serve their main considerations and improve the profitability of your supplement lines. Here are the three main supplement trends piquing consumer interest during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Immunity Benefits
While other industries have experienced recessionary pressures, consumer interest in the vitamin and supplement industry has remained high, largely due to some products’ potential for immunity-enhancing benefits. In a landscape where much about public health seems out of anyone’s control, immunity-enhancing products are rising in popularity, providing consumers with a sense of proactivity and protection not currently available through many other means. Many consumers are actively looking for supplements that support immune health, boost overall wellness, and help reduce anxiety brought on by unpredictable circumstances, while many others are more receptive to the possibility of using an immunity-enhancing supplement than they might have been before the pandemic.
Vitamin D and COVID-19
Recent research has linked vitamin D and positive COVID-19 outcomes, noting that patients with sufficient levels of vitamin D are better equipped to protect themselves from serious illness, and more likely to recover more quickly and more completely than their peers. While this research is still nascent and needs more testing and vetting before its ramifications can be fully understood, the link between vitamin D supplements and COVID-19 is clear to many consumers. As consumers evaluate their own vitamin D intake and search for supplements to enhance it, there is also potential to introduce interested consumers to other beneficial supplement products as well.
Plant-Based Alternatives
Consumers are more receptive than ever to vegetarianism and veganism. Even consumers that don’t identify as vegan or vegetarian are increasingly turning to plant-based alternatives to popular animal products, citing concern for health and the environment as their primary reasons. Not only are vegetarian and vegan lifestyles more popular and widely accepted now than ever before, but consumers also equate these characteristics with the notion that products adhering to these standards are cleaner, more sustainable, and healthier overall. In a market that is increasingly saturated with similar products from multiple brands, plant-based, vegan, and certified organic product labels signal a level of trustworthiness to consumers that they might feel is lacking in brands without these qualifications.
As COVID-19 perpetuates unpredictable circumstances, consumers search for new ways to manage, enhance, and protect their health. Being prepared with clean, effective, quality products designed to meet their needs can help your company stay relevant by serving your consumers well.
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