It has been a delight to see the Nutritional Supplement category expand over the past decade, further accelerated by COVID-19. Consumer behavior focused on preventative self-care has never been stronger.
At Compass Rose, our Nutrition and Supplement clients have been thriving as we clarify brand positioning and expand digital footprints to boost brand awareness. This category performs very well in both traditional retail and direct-to-consumer models.
- According to Statista, as reported by Exploding Topics, 58% of U.S. adults take supplements, with the average spend per trip on these products being $96.49.
- The explosion of social commerce and selling through videos is an overarching trend spanning all categories. The trend is no different for Supplements, a category that continues to develop new and interesting ways to tell stories and share successes.
Staying ahead of these trends in our ongoing quest to build and engage the communities that will support and grow our brands is crucial.
Here are the top trends that we have noticed in Nutrition and Supplements:
- New formulations are popping up. Convenience and portability are always important. We have seen explosive growth in products formulated into gummies containing compounds and nutrients like vitamins, appetite suppression, and sleep aids. We also see CBD gummies, apple cider vinegar gummies, and turmeric gummies, to name a few. Also, keep an eye out for healthy coffees and teas by adding things like turmeric and mushrooms, which offer health benefits and cut caffeine.
- An increase in Direct-To-Consumer Nutrition and Supplement brands happened during the pandemic, and it does not appear to be slowing down. Some brands have abandoned the notion of fighting for shelf space (especially as shelf space shrinks) and have gone 100% DTC either with their website platforms or on Amazon and other marketplaces.
- Pet supplements are taking off! More than 1/3 of pet owners bought over-the-counter pet supplements in the past year, and Exploding Topics reports a 42% increase in searches for “dog vitamins” over the past five years. Interestingly, the benefits of pet supplements seem to mirror the benefits of their pet parents’ supplement regimen, specifically overall wellness, joint health, and heart health.
Supplement brands have an opportunity to track these trends and craft better and more current messaging to align and boost their existing brand awareness.
If you would like to discuss trends in these and other DTC categories, let’s schedule a time to talk. I am sure we can help scale your brand, too!
