The vitamins and supplements market in the UK is expected to grow by the highest level in five years in 2020, according to new research from Mintel.
Following slow and steady growth in 2019, the market is expected to rise by 9% in value to £494m, as health conscious Brits dose-up their vitamin intake. Mintel also expects the value of the mark to rise to £515m in 2021, and to £559m by 2025 (an estimated 13% jump since 2020).
According to Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD), this growth is being driven in particular by COVID-19, with 24% of vitamin and mineral (VMS) users taking more such products as a result of the outbreak. Immune health has become a priority since the pandemic began, with 36% of VMS users taking them to strengthen their immune system, 15% using them to improve their mood, and 13% doing so to combat stress.
Mintel added that usage of Vitamin D has risen 8 percentage points in the last 12 months, and it is now taken by 38% of VMS users, up from 30% in 2019. This growth outshines all other vitamins, with only Vitamin C showing growth amongst single vitamins (29%, compared to 28% last year). Overall, usage of ‘multivits’ (the catch-all vitamin) has remained stable at 51%.
New product development is on the rise as well; according to GNPD, there has been a 20% increase in new product launches containing Vitamin D from January to August 2020 compared to the whole of 2019, as brands respond to the nation’s insatiable appetite for Vitamin D.
Emilia Greenslade, Mintel OTC and Personal Care Analyst, UK, said: “The rise in Vitamin D usage is likely due to its associations with immunity and memory improvement. Highly publicised research linking Vitamin D with protection against COVID-19 may have also impacted usage, although this has been challenged by NICE which concluded that there is no evidence to support taking vitamin D supplements to prevent or treat COVID-19. Government advice may have also impacted usage, with the government advising that people consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of Vitamin D as social distancing sees people spend fewer time in the sunlight and more time indoors.”
Greenslade added: “Undoubtedly, consumers are more worried about their health following the outbreak of COVID-19, and are seeking out preventative measures in the long term, including taking vitamins and supplements. Strong consumer demand for VMS in the initial weeks of the epidemic led to stockpiling which impacted availability of these products. While supply chains quickly returned to normal, demand has continued to remain high. But despite the boost in sales, the number of users remains the same with the rise in value of the category in 2020 driven by increased usage amongst existing users. Driving habits amongst occasional users is essential to ensure long-term engagement and sustained value growth, and brands can do this by using apps to set reminders and create schedules or offering specialised plans giving consumers more structure to routines.”
Mintel commissioned consumer research to assess usage of and behaviours towards vitamins and supplements. Research was carried out among 1,978 internet users aged 16+ in July 2020.
NAM Implications:
- Key for suppliers in these categories to compare their customer sales with these Mintel stats.
- …in a search for opportunities and threats therein.
