Highlights:
Current trends in the US supplement market include:
- The growing popularity of immune health products
- An increased demand for products that support mental health and sleep
- Gummy supplements
A Look at the US Supplement Market Outlook for 2022
Some shifts are underway in the US supplement market as consumers continue to prioritize health and wellness in the wake of COVID. Supplements for immunity and stress support, along with growth in e-commerce and gummy formats are just a few of the 2022 US supplement trends to watch.
US Supplement Market Overview
The $33.7 billion US retail vitamin, mineral, and supplement market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 3-4 percent from 2020 to 2025.1 Concerns about the COVID pandemic have inspired countless consumers to turn to vitamins, minerals, and supplements for health and wellness support, with more than three out of four US consumers now using these products.2
The top five companies in the category account for 18 percent of the branded market, while private label accounts for 8 percent.3 Mass market retail is the leading sales channel for vitamins, minerals, and supplements and will continue to hold the top spot through 2022. However, the rapid growth in e-commerce for supplements during the COVID lockdown marks an important shift since many consumers are likely to hang on to this new habit.
Immune Support Products Fastest Growing
While the most common reason US consumers are using a vitamin, mineral, or supplement is to support overall health (61 percent),4 the breakdown of sales growth in the category shows immunity is top of mind. Cold/flu/immunity products led in category growth last year, up 70 percent compared to less than 10 percent the year before.5
Immunity trends will continue to influence food and supplement markets globally as consumers seek out immunity products to hedge against new COVID variants. Probiotics and fermented ingredients are especially popular, with more diversification expected going forward. In addition, more consumers are becoming aware of the important role of prebiotics. Postbiotic products for immunity are still niche, but recent patents indicate growth potential.
Mental Health and Sleep Supplements Trending
Consumers have also been turning to supplements for mental health and sleep support to help manage stress associated with the pandemic. Sales in supplements for mental health/mood/stress grew by nearly 30 percent last year, while sleep support sales rose by almost 40 percent.6
A wide variety of ingredients are being featured in mental health and sleep support products, ranging from vitamins and minerals to adaptogens to CBD. Recent research into the gut-brain connection will also influence this segment. Nearly one in three US consumers say they are interested in digestive health products that can also improve mental health.7
Gummy Most Popular Supplement Format
The gummy format grabbed another 4 percent market share last year to reach 17 percent market share of branded vitamins, minerals, and supplements, making it the top selling format, just ahead of tablets (at 16 percent).8 Sales of gummies grew 44 percent more than twice the rate of the next fastest growing formats, powders and chewables.9
The growing popularity of non-pill formats makes this one of the key supplement trends to watch going forward. While health benefits may motivate consumers to buy a supplement, a fun and flavorful format option can influence which product they choose. An enjoyable format like a gummy also solves the problem of pill fatigue and improves compliance.
Succeeding in Supplements
Understanding consumers' evolving needs is essential to succeeding in the supplement market. Things are changing fast, with consumers seeking out new health and wellness benefits, ingredients, and formats. Companies that keep up with the most important supplement trends can address consumers’ top concerns and help support a lifetime of health and wellness.
As a global expert in functional food and supplement ingredients, Glanbia Nutritionals has a portfolio of options from custom premix solutions to bioactives to give your consumers the benefits they are looking for. Here at Glanbia, we not only support our customers with high quality, nutritional and functional ingredients but also with market insights that can help them succeed. To learn more about immunity support and making immune claims for your products, download our Guide to Navigating Immune Claims.
Frequently Asked Questions
Certain micronutrients are essential to human health. While these vitamins and minerals each play specific roles in the body, all are critical to maintaining the body’s basic functions.
These key functions range from vitamin A’s involvement in immunity, reproduction, and vision to zinc‘s role in building proteins, making DNA, and healing wounds. Energy production, fluid balance, growth, and so much more depend on micronutrients.
A functional beverage is a drink that provides a beneficial effect beyond basic nutrition. These health and wellness benefits can come from a wide range of bioactive ingredients—from adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha to MCTs for the keto diet to tryptophan for sleep support.
Some examples of functional beverages are energy drinks formulated with caffeine and B vitamins, sports drinks with added electrolytes and antioxidants, yogurt drinks that have probiotics, and beauty-from-within beverages containing collagen. The functional beverage market continues to grow as more people look for benefits like energy, relaxation, immune support, cognitive support, muscle building, and more.
Some of the best food sources of vitamin D, according to the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, are certain types of fish (such as freshwater rainbow trout (645 IU per serving), salmon (383-570 IU), and canned light tuna (231 IU)), as well as raw mushrooms (114-1110 IU), and fortified dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese (85-117 IU).
In fact, most of the vitamin D in Americans’ diets comes from fortified foods and beverages. Today, there is a wide variety of vitamin D-fortified products to help boost intake of this shortfall nutrient—from plant-based milks to breakfast cereals to nutrition bars.
Nutrient premixes are pre-blended nutrient powders that can include a variety of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, healthy fats, fibers, and bioactives, depending on the need. They can even include gums and flavors. Nutrient premixes are designed to be easy for manufacturers to add to foods, beverages, and supplements, with good flowability and uniform particle size to prevent the different nutrients from separating out.
There are vitamin-mineral blends, electrolyte blends, energy blends, keto blends, and oftentimes custom blends for companies that have a unique idea in mind for their fortified or functional products. Formulating with a nutrient premix instead of several individual ingredients saves a company time and simplifies purchasing, warehousing, and production.
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References
1. Euromonitor, Vitamins & Dietary Supplements, US July 2021.
2. Mintel, Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements Consumer: Incl Impact of COVID-19 US August 2020.
3. Euromonitor, Vitamins & Dietary Supplements, US July 2021.
4. Mintel, The Future of Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements: 2021, June 2021.
5-6. Nutrition Business Journal, June 2021: Condition Specific Issue, June 2021.
7. Mintel, The Future of Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements: 2021, June 2021.
8-9. SPINS data - MULO, specialty, natural, and Vitamin Shoppe, (includes vitamins & minerals, miscellaneous supplements, food supplements and digestive aids & enzymes; excludes protein, amino acids, weight management, performance nutrition), 52 weeks ending October 4, 2020.
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