Big Data|2018 US plant supplements break through $8.8 billion, detailing Top40 natural functional ingredients and mainstream product trends

In recent years, as consumer demand for natural health products has increased, herbal supplement products have also ushered in new growth points. Although the industry has negative factors from time to time, the overall trust of consumers continues to rise. Various market data also indicate that consumers who purchase dietary supplements are more than ever. According to Innova Market Insights market data, between 2014 and 2018, the global average number of dietary supplements released per year was 6%.

Relevant data show that the annual growth rate of China’s dietary supplement industry is 10%-15%, of which the market size exceeds 460 billion yuan in 2018, plus special foods such as functional foods (QS/SC) and special medical foods. In 2018, the total market size exceeded 750 billion yuan. The main reason is that the health industry has ushered in new development opportunities because of economic development and changes in population structure.

US plant supplements break through $8.8 billion

In September 2019, the American Board of Plants (ABC) released the latest herbal market report. In 2018, sales of US herbal supplements increased by 9.4% compared with 2017. The market size reached 8.842 billion US dollars, an increase of 757 million US dollars from the previous year. Sales, the highest record since 1998. The data also shows that 2018 is the 15th consecutive year of growth in herbal supplement sales, indicating that consumer preferences for such products are becoming more apparent, and these market data are derived from SPINS and NBJ.

In addition to the strong overall sales of herbal dietary supplements in 2018, the total retail sales of the three market channels monitored by NBJ increased in 2018. The sales of herbal supplements direct sales channel grew the fastest in the second consecutive year, growing by 11.8% in 2018, reaching $4.88 billion. The NBJ mass market channel experienced the second strong growth in 2018, reaching $1.558 billion, an increase of 7.6% year-on-year. In addition, NBJ market data indicates that sales of herbal supplements in natural and health food stores in 2008 totaled $2,804 million, an increase of 6.9% over 2017.

Immune health and weight management into a mainstream trend

Among the best-selling herbal dietary supplements in mainstream retail stores in the United States, products based on Marrubium vulgare (Lamiaceae) have the highest annual sales since 2013, and remain the same in 2018. In 2018, total sales of bitter mint health products were $146.6 million, an increase of 4.1% from 2017. Bitter mint has a bitter taste and is traditionally used to treat respiratory diseases such as coughs and colds, and less for digestive diseases such as stomach pain and intestinal worms. As a dietary supplement, the most common use is currently in cough suppressant and lozenge formulations.

Lycium spp., Solanaceae berry supplements grew the strongest in mainstream channels in 2018, with sales up 637% from 2017. In 2018, the total sales of goji berries was 10.4102 million US dollars, ranking 26th in the channel. During the rush of superfoods in 2015, goji berries first appeared in the top 40 herbal supplements in mainstream channels. In 2016 and 2017, with the emergence of various new super foods, the mainstream sales of goji berries have declined, but in 2018, goji berries have once again been welcomed by the market.

SPINS market data shows that the best-selling cockroaches in the mainstream channel in 2018 focus on weight loss. The Reliable Nutrition Association (CRN) 2018 Dietary Supplement Consumer Survey, 20% of supplement users in the United States purchased weight loss products sold in 2018. However, only 18-34 year old supplement users listed weight loss as one of the six main reasons for taking supplements. As pointed out in the previous HerbalGram market report, consumers are increasingly choosing products for weight management rather than losing weight, with the goal of improving overall health.

In addition to goji berries, mainstream sales of the top 40 other ingredients in 2018 increased by more than 40% (in US dollars): Withania somnifera (Solanaceae), Sambucus nigra (Adoxaceae) and Barberry (Berberis spp., Berberidaceae). In 2018, sales of the South African drunken grape mainstream channel increased by 165.9% year-on-year, with total sales of $7,449,103. Sales of elderberry also achieved strong growth in 2018, from 138.4% in 2017 to 2018, reaching $50,979,669, making it the fourth-best selling material in the channel. Another new 40-plus mainstream channel in 2018 is Fun Bull, which has increased by more than 40%. Sales increased by 47.3% compared with 2017, totaling $5,060,098.

CBD and mushrooms become the stars of natural channels

Since 2013, turmeric has been the best-selling herbal dietary supplement ingredient in the US natural retail channel. However, in 2018, the sales of cannabidiol (CBD) soared, a psychoactive but non-toxic cannabis plant ingredient that not only became the best-selling ingredient in natural channels, but also the fastest growing raw material. . SPINS market data shows that in 2017, the CBD first appeared on the top 40 list of natural channels, becoming the 12th best-selling component, with sales increasing by 303% year-on-year. In 2018, total CBD sales were US$52,708,488, an increase of 332.8% from 2017.

According to SPINS market data, about 60% of the CBD products sold in the natural channels in the United States in 2018 are non-alcoholic tinctures, followed by capsules and soft capsules. The vast majority of CBD products are targeted at non-specific health priorities, and emotional support and sleep health are the second most popular uses. Although sales of CBD products increased significantly in 2018, sales of cannabis products decreased by 9.9%.

The raw materials with a natural channel growth rate of more than 40% are elderberry (93.9%) and mushrooms (others). The sales of such products increased by 40.9% compared with 2017, and the market sales in 2018 reached US$7,800,366. Following the CBD, elderberry and mushroom (others), Ganoderma lucidum ranked fourth in sales growth in the top 40 raw materials of natural channels in 2018, up 29.4% year-on-year. According to SPINS market data, mushrooms (others) are mainly sold in the form of vegetable capsules and powders. Many top mushroom products place immune or cognitive health as a major health priority, followed by non-specific uses. Sales of mushroom products for immune health may increase due to the extension of the flu season in 2017-2018.

Consumers are full of “confidence” in the dietary supplement industry

The Reliable Nutrition Association (CRN) also released some positive news in September. The CRN Dietary Supplement Consumer Survey tracks consumer use and attitudes to dietary supplements, and those surveyed in the United States have a history of “high frequency” use of supplements. Seventy-seven percent of Americans surveyed said they used dietary supplements, the highest level of use reported to date (the survey was funded by CRN, and Ipsos conducted a survey of 2006 American adults on August 22, 2019. Analytical survey). The results of the 2019 survey also reaffirmed consumer confidence and trust in the dietary supplement and dietary supplement industries.

Dietary supplements are the mainstream of health care today. With the constant innovation of the industry, it is undeniable that these regulated products have become mainstream. More than three-quarters of Americans take dietary supplements every year, which is a very clear trend, suggesting that supplements play an important role in their overall health regimen. As industry, critics, and regulators decide whether and how to update dietary supplement regulations to manage the $40 billion market, increasing consumer use of supplements will be their primary concern.

Discussions on supplemental regulations often focus on monitoring, processes, and resource deficiencies, all of which are valid ideas, but also forget to ensure market safety and product efficacy. Consumers want to buy dietary supplements that help consumers actively participate in their healthy lives. This is a driving point that will continue to influence market reshaping in the coming years, as well as the efforts of regulators. It is also a call to action for all those involved in the supply chain to ensure that they deliver safe, effective, scientifically validated and tested products to the market and benefit consumers who trust supplements every year.


Post time: Oct-25-2019