October 8, 2024 – Globally, consumers are prioritizing immune health as they want to stay healthy. They are choosing products that support their well-being and fit into their daily routines. Innova’s 360 research highlights key trends shaping the global health trends, consumer drivers, category dynamics, new product launch trends, and what might develop in the future.
Consumer Health Trends
Consumers are taking more responsibility for their health, driven by limited access to affordable healthcare and a shift toward prevention over care. This global heath trend has led 39% of individuals to take significant steps toward healthier living, consulting various sources and adopting personalized strategies. Immune health has become a key focus, with supplementation and fortification playing key roles in self-care routines.
Concerns about immune health differ across countries, with 61% of consumers worldwide taking action to maintain their immune health in the past year. Global health trends research reveals that Indonesians, Brazilians, and Indians are the most active in keeping up immune health, prioritizing specific nutrients and ingredients to meet their health needs.
Supplements Trends
Globally, 1 in 5 consumers are increasing the use of supplements to stay healthy, boost immunity, and prevent diseases. The uptake of immune health supplements is highest among Asians and Brazilians. Millennials are the most frequent users of immune supplements.
Immune health supplement launches have experienced a 13% CAGR growth over the past 12 months, maintaining stable penetration of the overall category at 34%. North America and West Europe lead in immune health supplement launches, accounting for around one-third of activity each. Asia has notably higher launches of total supplement activity than for immune health activity over the past year.
Vitamins and minerals, botanicals and herbal supplements are leading subcategory supplements launches with immune health claims. Meanwhile, subcategories like concentrates, hair, skin and nails, weight loss, and men’s specialty are showing the fastest growth. Energy and stamina remain the top additional claims, but sexual health is rapidly emerging as the fastest-growing area of crossover within immune health supplements.
Food and Beverages Trends
Global health trends research displays that consumers in Asia and Latin America are the most likely to choose foods and drinks that boost immunity. These regions are also showing a higher appreciation for functional ingredients that enhance physical health. Globally, 1 in 4 consumers globally think that boosting immunity is a desirable function that food or beverage might offer.
Millennials prioritize immunity after better sleep function, while Boomers place it lower on their priority list. Immune health accounts for 20% penetration rate for food and beverage with an active health claim, with Asia leading the market.
Baby and toddlers lead in food and beverage launches with immune health claims, followed by soft drinks over the past year. Immune claims in baby and toddlers span various subcategories, including baby milk, baby cereals and biscuits, baby drinks, baby fruit products, desserts and yogurts, and others. The market continues to witness strong potential for growth as consumer demand for functional, health-boosting products remains significant.
Immunity Ingredients Trends
Vitamins and protein are key ingredients for consumers, with 35% of Asians being likely to link protein uptake to immune health. Indonesian consumers lead in boosting protein intake for immunity, with 42% doing so, nearly double the global average of 23%. General food and beverage consumption is the top strategy for protein intake.
Minerals and vitamins is the leading ingredient category in food, beverage, and supplement launches with immune health claims. Vitamin C is the most widely used, while vitamins K2, D2, and zinc is rapidly growing. Ingredient preferences vary by region, with North America and Australia favoring nutraceutical and functional ingredients, while Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East prioritize vitamins and minerals. Asia leans towards botanical ingredients.
Probiotics play a key role in immune health. Global health trends research shows that probiotics are widely utilized in the dairy and soft drink arenas to support immune/gut health. There is an increasing global interest in fermented food, which has experienced an uplift in new product launches such as kefir. Asian markets lead in snack innovations featuring probiotics, with slower growth in Western markets.
What’s Next in Global Immune Health Trends?
Immune health trends show consumers increasingly recognize the link between protein intake and immune health, creating opportunities for brands to offer high-protein foods, drinks, and supplements with immune benefits. This allows consumers to make more health-conscious choices.
In Asia and Latin America, consumers are especially proactive in addressing immune health through both food and supplementation. New product development in these regions often reflects this, with probiotics and fermented foods like kefir, kimchi, and kombucha gaining acceptance due to their benefits.
As probiotics are key in supporting immune health, brands can further emphasize their role beyond gut health in these trending categories. The continuous innovation in protein-rich and probiotic-based products is likely to shape the next wave of immune health trends.
This article is based on Innova’s Now & Next in Immune Health – Global report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more
