Nutritional Supplements in the U.S., Third Edition

Nutritional Supplements in the U.S., Third Edition

Economic downturn of 2008 notwithstanding, the U.S. market for nutritional supplements is poised for healthy growth, with sales forecast to climb 39% from 2007 to 2012 to reach $8.5 billion, following a major rebound in 2006-2007.

Helping to protect the category as consumers tighten their discretionary spending belts are the strong preventive health care angle of supplements and the market’s sizeable component of better-off demographics including aging Baby Boomers. Nutritional Supplements in the U.S. reports on numerous other positive factors also at play, including industry efforts to promote supplements as more essential than ever in weak economic times since they can help to avert the need for much costlier prescription drugs and medical treatments, bolstered product credibility as a result of the newly implemented federal GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and AER (adverse event report) requirements, increased industry self-regulation, and a steady stream of innovative new products targeting an ever broader range of increasingly specific conditions—especially the many age-related issues of aging Boomers and seniors.

This Packaged Facts report examines the U.S. market for nutritional supplements sold to consumers through the entire retail spectrum, including vitamins, minerals, herbals, homeopathics and combination products. The report provides extensive retail sales breakouts, past and future, along with a thorough examination of market drivers, the competitive situation, marketer and brand shares, marketing trends, and consumer trends, including health, wellness and dietary patterns and interest in nutraceutical foods and beverages.

Special features of Nutritional Supplements in the U.S. include a detailed examination of sales and market share trends in the natural supermarket channel, and of condition-specific products in myriad mass-market segments including joint, calcium, children’s, eye, energy, heart, men’s, women’s, brain, digestive and cosmetic. The report also covers topics including organic and “green” appeals, product customization and global trends.

Using Information Resources, Inc.’s InfoScan Review data, the report quantifies sales and marketer/brand shares across four mass-market categories (General Supplements, Multivitamins, 1 & 2 Letter Vitamins, and Liquid Vitamins), while using SPINSscan reporting to quantify sales and brand shares through natural supermarkets for two classifications (Vitamins & Supplements and Herbals & Homeopathics). Simmons Market Research Bureau and BIGresearch consumer survey data form the basis of an in-depth examination of product and brand penetration levels, while also exploring consumer attitudes toward nutritional supplements vis-à-vis related trends such as preventive health care, healthy eating and the economy. The report also quantifies new product introductions based on Datamonitor’s Productscan Online tracking service and extensive Internet canvassing, and profiles selected marketers of nutritional supplements including Alacer Corp. (Emergen-C), Bayer (One-A-Day ), GNC, NBTY (Nature’s Bounty) and Nature’s Way.  
 

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

Market Definition

Scope of Report

Exclusions

Product Categories and Classifications

Report Methodology

The Market

Retail Sales Reach $6 Billion in 2007

Mass-Market Sales Turn Around

Natural Supermarket Sales at $1.2 Billion in 2007

Figure 1-1: Comparative Sales Growth of Nutritional Supplement Sales by Channel: Mass-Market, Natural Supermarket, Overall: 2005-2006 vs. 2006-2007 (percent)

General Supplements Dominate Mass-Market Sales

Condition-Specific Products Gaining Ground

Market Outlook

The Marketers

Competitive Overview

Natural Product Marketers

Private-Label Share Declines from 2003 to 2007

NBTY and Pharmavite Make Big Market Gains

Condition-Specific Products Charting Healthy Growth

Top Brands in the Natural Supermarket Channel

Figure 1-2: Market Share of Vitamins/Supplements in the Natural Supermarket Channel: Top Five Brands Combined vs. All Other, 2005-2008 (percent)

New Product Trends

Supplement Introductions Surge, Then Dive

“Natural” and “Upscale” the Most Frequently Seen Claims

Macro Trends

Supplements Marketers Offering More Bang for the Buck

Enzymatic Therapy Launches Certified Organic Supplement

Superfood Supplements Competing with Functional Foods

Kids Supplements Filling in Dietary Gaps

Cosmeceuticals Promise Beauty in a Bottle

Consumer Trends

56% of Adults Use Supplements

Figure 1-3: Percent of Adults Using Nutritional Supplements, 2003-2008 (U.S. adults)

Fish Oil/Omega 3 Supplements Posts Biggest Usage Gains

Top Brand Lines Are Multivitamins

Faith and Doubt on Supplement Efficacy

Supplement Users Proactive About Healthcare

40% of Supplement Users Are Boomers

Other Key Demographic Groups

Chapter 2: Introduction

Market Definition

Scope of Report

Exclusions

Product Categories and Classifications

Vitamins

Minerals

Supplements

Product Classifications

Mass-Market Channel

Natural Channel

Combination Formulas

Other Product Classifications

Single-Element vs. Multivitamin/Mineral

Synthetic vs. Natural

Demographic Segmentation

Delivery Systems

Industry Regulation

FDA and DSHEA Oversee Supplements Industry

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA)

Qualified Health Claims

RDAs, RDIs, DRVs and DVs

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act

DSHEA Remains FDA Focus, Evolves

FDA Releases Good Manufacturing Practices for Dietary

Supplements

Congress Passes Adverse Event Reports (AER) Bill

CRN Spearheading Industry Self-Regulation

Chapter 3: The Market

Market Size and Growth

Retail Sales Reach $6 Billion in 2007

Table 3-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Nutritional Supplements, 2003- 2007 (in millions of dollars)

Mass-Market Sales Turn Around

Table 3-2: Mass-Market Sales of Nutritional Supplements, 2003-2007 (in millions of dollars)

General Supplements Category Leads Mass-Market Recovery

Table 3-3: Mass-Market Sales of Nutritional Supplements: By Product Category, 2003-2007 (in millions of dollars)

Table 3-4: Annual Dollar Growth/Decline in Mass-Market Sales of Nutritional Supplements: By Product Category, 2004-2007 (in millions of dollars)

Table 3-5: Annual Percentage Growth/Decline in Mass-Market Sales of Nutritional Supplements: By Product Category, 2004-2007 (percent)

Natural Supermarket Sales at $1.2 Billion in 2007

Table 3-6: Natural Supermarket Sales of Nutritional Supplements, 2005-2007 (in millions of dollars)

Figure 3-1: Comparative Sales Growth of Nutritional Supplement Sales by Channel: Mass-Market, Natural Supermarket and Overall: 2005-2006 vs. 2006-2007 (percent)

Market Composition

General Supplements Dominate Mass-Market Sales

Figure 3-2: Share of Mass-Market Sales of Nutritional Supplements by Product Category, 2003 vs. 2007 (percent)

Condition-Specific Products Gaining Ground

Table 3-7: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Condition- Specific Supplements, 2003-2007 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Joint Supplements Surpass Calcium Supplements

Children’s Supplements on the Ups

Double-Digit Growth in Eye and Energy Supplements

Heart Supplements Chart Fastest Rate of Growth

Women’s Supplements Lose Ground

Trends in Brain, Digestive and Cosmetic Supplements

Figure 3-3: Share of IRI-Tracked Sales of Nutritional Supplements: By Condition-Specific Type, 2003 vs. 2007 (percent)

Table 3-8: Mass-Market Sales of Condition-Specific Supplements: By Product Type, 2003-2007 (in millions of dollars)

Table 3-9: Annual Dollar Growth/Decline in Mass-Market Sales of Condition-Specific Supplements: By Product Type, 2003- 2007 (in millions of dollars)

Table 3-10: Annual Percentage Growth/Decline in Mass- Market Sales of Condition-Specific Supplements: By Product Type, 2003-2007 (percent)

Natural Supermarket Channel Trends: Vitamins/Supplements Is Larger Classification

Figure 3-4: Share of Natural Supermarket Sales of Nutritional Supplements by Classification, 2005-2007 (percent) Supplement Oils Lead Vitamins/Supplements Classification

Table 3-11: Sales of Top Five Selling Vitamins/Supplements Categories in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2005-2007 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Table 3-12: Share of Sales of Top Five Selling Vitamins/Supplements Categories in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2005-2007 (percent)

Table 3-13: Top Five Vitamins/Supplements Growth Categories in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2005-2007 (in millions of dollars and percent)

“Other Herbals” Dominate Herbals/Homeopathics Classification

Table 3-14: Dollar Sales of Top Five Selling Herbals/Homeopathics Categories in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2005-2007 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Table 3-15: Share of Dollar Sales of Top Five Selling Herbals/Homeopathics Categories in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2005-2007 (percent)

Table 3-16: Top Five Herbals/Homeopathics Growth Categories in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2005-2007 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Supermarkets Lead in Supplement Sales

Figure 3-5: Share of U.S. Nutritional Supplement Sales by Retail Outlet Type, 2008 (percent)

Market Outlook

Macro Trends

Economy Overshadows Health as Major Concern

Table 3-17: Percentage of Adults with Little or No Confidence in Short-Term Prospects for the Economy, April 2003-April 2008 (U.S. adults)

Purchasing Patterns Already Shifting

Figure 3-6: Producer Price Index for Nutritional Supplements, 2002-2008

Table 3-18: Percentage of Adults Who Are More Practical or Realistic in Their Purchases, Month Over Month: October 2007-April 2008 (U.S. adults)

Table 3-19: Adults Who Plan to Decrease Spending by Age Range Year Over Year: April 2003-April 2008 (percent) Industry Working to Position Supplements as Necessities

Health Concerns Impact American Diets

Supplement Users Especially Interested in Preventive Health

Table 3-20: Use of Nutritional Supplements by Strong Agreement with Selected Psychographic Statements, 2008 (percent and index of US adults)

Ongoing Competition from Functional Foods

The Natural/Organic Connection

Supplements Go Green

Aging Baby Boomers an Underpinning Market Force

Figure 3-7: Percent of Adults Using Nutritional Supplements: By Age Bracket, 2008 (U.S. adults)

Figure 3-8: Number of Adults Using Nutritional Supplements: By Generational Cohort, 2008 (percent of total U.S. adult users)

Table 3-21: Projected U.S. Population by Age Bracket, 2007- 2015 (in thousands)

Supplement Efficacy Still Being Challenged

Looking Ahead

Short-Term Success Tied to Economic Trends

Growing Interest in Private Label

Fewer Convenience Packs, More “Family Size” Containers

Condition-Specific Trend Begetting Genetic Customization

Opportunities in Sleep Disorders, Stress Reduction

Boomers Will Ensure Steady Growth

Green Packaging

Projected Market Growth: Sales to Reach $8.5 Billion by 2012

Table 3-22: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Nutritional Supplements, 2007-2012 (in millions of dollars)

International Perspective

Asia-Pacific the Top Region Worldwide

Herbal Market Size and Growth

Opportunities for U.S. Marketers

China

Eastern Europe

Brazil

India

Global Outlook

Chapter 4: The Marketers

Competitive Overview

Natural Product Marketers

Direct Marketing Companies

NBTY Wins Bid on Leiner Health Products

GNC Acquired by New Private Equity Firm

Bayer HealthCare Acquires Citracal

Trends in Private Label

Private-Label Share Declines from 2003 to 2007

Figure 4-1: Private-Label Share of Mass-Market Sales of Nutritional Supplements by Category: 2003 vs. 2007 (percent)

Table 4-1: Mass-Market Sales of Private-Label Nutritional Supplements by Category: 2003 vs. 2007 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Category Cross-Over and Line Extensions

Consumer Advertising Themes and Promotions

Trade Support

Retail Channel Trends

Supermarkets Focus on Health/Wellness

Natural Grocers Continue to Extend Reach, Led by Whole Foods

GNC Retooling for Future Growth

Table 4-2: The U.S. Market for Nutritional Supplements: Selected Leading Marketers and Brands, 2008

Marketer and Brand Shares

Methodology

NBTY and Pharmavite Make Big Gains

NBTY Leads in General Supplements

Multivitamins Category a Two-Horse Race

Pharmavite, Private Label Dominate in 1 & 2 Letter Vitamins

Liquid Supplements Category Highly Fragmented

Table 4-3: Top Twenty Marketers of Nutritional Supplements by Dollar Sales and Share of IRI-Tracked Sales, 2003 vs. 2007 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Table 4-4: Top Twenty Nutritional Supplement Brands by Dollar Sales and Share of IRI-Tracked Sales, 2003 vs. 2007 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Table 4-5: Top Marketers and Brands of General Supplements by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Table 4-6: Top Marketers and Brands of Multivitamins by IRITracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Table 4-7: Top Marketers and Brands of 1 & 2 Letter Vitamins by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Table 4-8: Top Marketers and Brands of Liquid Vitamins by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Focus on Condition-Specific Products

Condition-Specific Products Charting Healthy Growth

Table 4-9: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Condition- Specific Products by Type, 2003 vs. 2007 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Osteo Bi-Flex on Top in Joint Health Supplements

Table 4-10: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Joint Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Caltrate No. 1 in Calcium Supplements

Table 4-11: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Calcium Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Children’s Supplements Led by Bayer’s Flintstones

Table 4-12: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Children’s Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Bausch & Lomb Dominates in Eye Care Supplements

Table 4-13: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Eye Care Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Chaser 5 Hour Energy a Big Hit in Energy Supplements

Table 4-14: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Energy Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

NBTY’s Q-Sorb Out Front in Heart Health Supplements

Table 4-15: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Heart

Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

One-A-Day a Strong No. 1 in Men’s Supplements

Table 4-16: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Men’s

Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Women’s Supplements Target Menopausal and Prenatal Health

Table 4-17: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Women’s

Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Sales Trending Down in Brain Health Segment

Table 4-18: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Brain Health Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Digestive Health Supplements Going Strong

Table 4-19: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Digestive

Health Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Olay Losing Ground in Cosmetic Supplements Segment

Table 4-20: Mass-Market Sales and Market Share of Cosmetic Supplements, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Diabetes Support Supplements Still a Tiny Segment

Focus on Natural Supermarket Brands

Natural Supplement Sales Up 6.5% in 2008

Figure 4-2: Natural Supermarket Sales of Nutritional Supplements, 2007 vs. 2008 (in millions of dollars and percent)

Top Five Brands Account for One-Fifth of Sales in Vitamins/Supplements Classification

Figure 4-3: Market Share of Vitamins/Supplements in the Natural Supermarket Channel: Top Five Brands Combined vs. All Other, 2005-2008 (percent)

Table 4-21: Market Share of Top Five Brands of Vitamins/Supplements in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2005-2008 (percent)

Table 4-22: Sales of Top Five Brands of Vitamins/Supplements in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2005-2007 (in millions of dollars)

Table 4-23: Sales of Top Five Brands of Vitamins/Supplements in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Top Five Brands Claim One-Third of Sales in Herbals/Homeopathics Classification

Figure 4-4: Market Share of Top Five Brands of Herbal/Homeopathic Supplements in the Natural

Supermarket Channel, 2005-2008 (percent)

Table 4-24: Sales of Top Five Brands of Herbal/Homeopathic Supplements in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2005- 2007 (in millions of dollars)

Table 4-25: Sales of Top Five Brands of Herbal/Homeopathic Supplements in the Natural Supermarket Channel, 2007- 2008 (in millions of dollars)

Chapter 5: Competitor Profiles

Competitor Profile: Alacer Corp

Company Overview

The Alacer Product Lineup

Emergen-C Sales Post Double-Digit Gains

Figure 5-1: Alacer Corp. Mass-Market Sales Growth, 2003- 2008 (in millions of dollars)

Website, Promotions Focus on Feeling Good

Emergen-C in a Bottle

Competitor Profile: Bayer Corp

Company Background

One-A-Day: Chasing the Top Spot in Multivitamins

Figure 5-2: Share of One-A-Day Multivitamin Sales by Variety, 2003 vs. 2008 (percent)

One-A-Day Original a Big Winner

Table 5-1: Mass-Market Sales of Selected One-A-Day Products, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Competing for Seniors, Kids

Citracal Gives Bayer Additional Market Clout

Table 5-2: Timeline of Selected One-A-Day New Product Introductions, 2005-2008

Competitor Profile: GNC Corp

Company Background

A History of Acquisitions

Navigating Troubled Financial Waters

On the Right Track with Rite Aid

Redesigned GNC Stores on the Way

International Expansion

Competitor Profile: NBTY, Inc. (Nature’s Bounty)

Company Background

Spate of Acquisitions Fuels Growth

More Than Nature’s Bounty

Figure 5-3: Share of NBTY Brand Sales, 2003 vs. 2008 (percent)

Looking Ahead

Competitor Profile: Nature’s Way

Company Background

A Company of Firsts

Small Company, Big Growth Potential

Figure 5-4: Nature’s Way Share of Natural Supermarket Sales of Herbal/Homeopathic Supplements, 2005-2008 (percent)

Chapter 6: New Product Trends

Supplement Introductions Surge, Then Dive

Table 6-1: Number of Nutritional Supplement New Product Reports and SKUs, 2003-2008 (number)

“Natural” and “Upscale” the Most Frequently Seen Claims

Table 6-2: Top Package Tags/Claims for New Nutritional Supplement Products, 2003-2007 (number)

Figure 6-1: High-Growth Nutritional Supplement Package Tags/Claims, 2007 vs. 2003 (number)

Macro Trends

Homing in on Age 50

Trends in Joint and Bone Health Supplements

Calcium Products Flagging

Heart Health Supplements Going Strong

Pharmavite Parlays in Cholesterol-Lowering Ingredient

Pantesin

Other Heart Supplements Still Relying on CoQ-10 and EFAs

Eye Care Supplements Getting More Scientific Support

Bladder Health Supplements Join Aging-Related Pack

Obesity Epidemic Spurs Interest in Diabetes Support Products

Supplements Marketers Offering More Bang for the Buck

Non-Supplement OTC Health Brands Crossing Over

Supplement Customization Reaches New Levels

Hispanic-Specific Supplements

Alternate Delivery Systems Tout Efficacy, Novelty

Drinkable Supplements

Gummies and Gels

Sprays and Mists

Chocolate and Clay

Easier to Swallow

Despite Fuzziness of Term, “Natural” Still Going Strong

Enzymatic Therapy Launches Certified Organic Supplement

Homeopathic Products Popular Despite Critics

Superfood Supplements Competing with Functional Foods

The Success of the Superfruit

Probiotics, Prebiotics and Enzymes Target Digestive Health

Kids Supplements Filling in Dietary Gaps

Cosmeceuticals Promise Beauty in a Bottle

Women’s Supplements Losing Steam

Supplements “To Go”

Chapter 7: Consumer Trends

Introduction

Notes on Simmons Data

56% of Adults Use Supplements

Figure 7-1: Percent of Adults Using Nutritional Supplements, 2003-2008 (U.S. adults)

Fish Oil/Omega 3 Supplements Posts Biggest Usage Gains

Figure 7-2: Top Types of Nutritional Supplement by Usage

Rates, 2003 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. adults)

Top Brand Lines Are Multivitamins

Figure 7-3: Top Nutritional Supplement Brand Lines by Usage Rates, 2003 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. adults)

Table 7-1: Overview of Nutritional Supplement Usage, 2008 (percent and number of U.S. adults)

Consumer Psychographics

Faith and Doubt on Supplement Efficacy

Figure 7-4: Percentage of Adults Agreeing or Disagreeing with Statement, “Vitamins/Minerals Make a Difference,” 2008 (U.S. adults)

Figure 7-5: Percentage of Supplement Users Agreeing or Disagreeing with Statement, “Vitamins/Minerals Make a Difference,” 2008 (U.S. adult users of supplements)

Figure 7-6: Percentage of Daily Supplement Users Agreeing or Disagreeing with Statement, “Vitamins/Minerals Make a Difference,” 2008 (U.S. adult users of supplements)

Supplement Users Proactive About Healthcare

Stronger Skews for Specialized Products

A Taste for Alternatives

An Ounce of Prevention

Branded vs. Private Label

Table 7-2: Overall Psychographic Indicators for Nutritional Supplement Users, 2008 (percent and index of U.S. adults)

Table 7-3: Attitudes Toward Product Efficacy Among Nutritional Supplement Users, 2008 (percent of U.S. adults)

Table 7-4: Overall Psychographic Indicators for Daily Users of Nutritional Supplements, 2008 (percentages and number of U.S. adults who use supplements daily)

Table 7-5: Top Psychographic Indicators for Nutritional Supplement Usage by Product Type, 2008 (percent and index of U.S. adults)

Table 7-6: Top Psychographic Indicators for Nutritional Supplement Usage by Brand, 2008 (percent and index of U.S. adults)

Consumer Demographics

Age Is Leading Demographic Indicator

Figure 7-7: Percent of Adults Using Nutritional Supplements: By Age Bracket, 2008 (U.S. adults)

40% of Supplement Users Are Boomers

Figure 7-8: Number of Adults Using Nutritional Supplements: By Generational Cohort, 2008 (percent of total U.S. adult users)

Usage Edging Up Within Age Brackets

Figure 7-9: Percent of Teens Using Nutritional Supplements, 2008 (U.S. children age 12-17)

The Gender Gap

Supplement Socio-Economics

Patterns by Product Type

Patterns by Brand Line

Diverse Skews for Organic Products and Online Research

Figure 7-10: Demographic Indicators for Purchasing Organic Nutritional Supplements, May 2008 (index and percent of U.S. demographic groups)

Figure 7-11: Demographic Indicators for Researching Medicines and Supplements Online, June 2008 (index and percent of U.S. demographic groups)

Table 7-7: Nutritional Supplement Usage: Overall Demographic Patterns, 2008 (percent, number and index of U.S. adults)

Table 7-8: Percentage of Adults Using Nutritional Supplements: By Age Bracket, 2003 vs. 2008 (U.S. adults)

Table 7-9: Percentage of Adults Using Nutritional Supplements: By Age Bracket, Men vs. Women (U.S. adults)

Table 7-10: Indices for Adult Use of Nutritional Supplements: By Educational Attainment and Household Income, 2003 vs. 2008 (U.S. adults)

Table 7-11: Demographics for Those Using Nutritional Supplements Once or More Daily, 2008 (percent, number and index of U.S. adults)

Table 7-12: Top Demographic Indicators for Nutritional Supplement Usage by Product Type, 2008 (percent and index of U.S. adults)

Table 7-13: Demographic Indicators for Nutritional Supplement Usage by Brand or Brand Line, 2008 (percent and index of U.S. adults)

Appendix: Addresses of Selected Marketers