A Deep Dive into the European Supplement Market | Part 2

Highlights:

Key trends in the European supplement market include: 

• Immune health
• Digestive support
• Mental health & cognition
• Convenient e-commerce 
• Ingredients with scientifically-proven benefits
• New supplement formats 

Top Trends in the European Supplement Market

Consumers’ heightened concerns over health during the COVID-19 pandemic have been driving growth, as well as new trends, in the European supplement market. Interest in preventive health was already on the rise among European consumers before 2020 as more were adopting healthier lifestyles and exploring the benefits of supplements. COVID-19 put a spotlight on preventive health, accelerating this trend. 

As a result, Europe’s supplement market grew 5.2% in 2020, compared to just 3.5% the year before.¹ This growth has not been uniform, however, as consumers’ needs and preferences have been changing. Here’s a look at the most important European supplement trends right now.

1. Immunity

Although the immunity category is only 10% of the market, supplements linked to immunity (such as vitamin C, vitamin D, and immune system supplements) outpaced other supplements in year-on-year growth in 2020.¹ Vitamin C was up by 14 percentage points, while vitamin D also showed strong growth as the potential link between vitamin D deficiency and severe COVID cases became widely reported.² 

Download our guide to learn more about global immunity trends. 

2. Digestion

Digestive supplements are also trending in the European market, gaining market share in Italy (Europe’s largest supplement market), as well as in France between 2015 and 2020.³ In Italy, nearly half of supplement users have taken supplements to improve their digestive health.⁴ More than two-thirds of supplement users in Germany (Europe’s second largest supplement market) have used digestive supplements.⁵

3. Cognition

Cognition or mental health support is another supplement area to watch closely. Awareness and use are particularly high in Europe’s top supplement markets: 66% of supplement users in Germany, 62% in France, 56% in Italy, and 45% in the UK report they’ve taken supplements for cognitive or mental health benefits.⁶ The stress of the pandemic and associated lifestyle changes have led many consumers to seek out products offering cognitive/mental benefits ranging from focus to calmness.

4. E-Commerce

The e-commerce channel for supplement sales has been growing in Europe at double-digit rates year-on-year for the last five years.⁷ Pandemic lockdowns throughout Europe have hastened this trend as more consumers have been ordering their supplements online. More than half of consumer health companies surveyed expect this to be a long-term change due to consumers becoming accustomed to the convenience of e-commerce.⁸

5. Efficacy and Science-Backed Ingredients

With Europe’s economy heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, value is becoming more important to consumers when making purchasing decisions. For supplements, this means reaching for products that they’re confident will work. This focus on efficacy and science-backed ingredients is especially important for consumers’ top health concerns, such as immunity.

6. Alternative Formats

While capsules and tablets remain the most used supplement formats in Europe,⁹ new product launches over the past five years show gummies/chews are the fastest growing format (growing by 23%), showing a significant jump in 2020.¹⁰ The UK and France stand out for their relatively high consumption of gummies, while Italy leads in chewables.¹¹ Germany and the UK had the most new supplement launches in the past five years of non-pill formats, which includes liquids, powders, and gummies.¹² 

Customise Your Success 

As we move forward, many of these supplement trends, such as more enjoyable formats, science-based ingredients, and certain health concerns, are likely to stay. Collaborating with a supplement expert like Glanbia Nutritionals can help ensure you give consumers just what they’re looking for—now and in the future.

Our custom nutrient premix solutions include product ideation, custom blend development, and formulation optimization to ensure a homogeneous, custom nutrient premix that works with your processing requirements. A custom nutrient premix can include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, botanicals, flavors, and more. Our premixes help you simplify your sourcing, inventory, and processing so you can get to market faster.

Learn more about custom nutrient premix solutions for your next product or download our guide to nutrient premixes. 

References

1-3. Euromonitor, Vitamins & Dietary Supplements in Western Europe Briefing, October 2020.
4-6. FMCG Gurus, Nutritional Supplements Surveys – Italy, Germany, UK, France, June 2020.
7-8. Euromonitor, Vitamins & Dietary Supplements in Western Europe Briefing, October 2020.
9. FMCG Gurus, Nutritional Supplements Surveys – Italy, Germany, UK, France, June 2020.
10. Mintel/Glanbia Nutritionals Proprietary Data, accessed February 2021.
11. FMCG Gurus, Nutritional Supplements Surveys – Italy, Germany, UK, France, June 2020.
12. Mintel/Glanbia Nutritionals Proprietary Data, accessed February 2021.