Dr. A. Elizabeth Sloan09.01.09
Contrary to popular belief, the economic downturn has created an unprecedented "window of opportunity" for dietary supplement and functional food and beverage marketers by luring cost-weary and drug-wary consumers into the nutraceutical fold. And, if future products and claims are positioned and supported correctly, for the first time in history the nutrition industry will make major inroads into the Rx prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drug sectors.
Unit sales of vitamins/supplements grew nearly 6% in grocery, drug and mass merchandiser channels, including Wal-Mart, in 2008, second only to sports drinks, up more than 7% (see Figure 1)1. More important, vitamins/supplements was the only top 10 healthcare category to post positive unit sales gains, up almost 6% in similar mass channels.
Despite half of households with incomes under $55K having difficulty buying the groceries they needed last year, only 38% of lower income households (<$35K) and 17% of those >$100K bought fewer healthy products according to IRI2.
Moreover, Packaged Facts reports that U.S. sales of functional foods/drinks across all retail channels reached mo
Unit sales of vitamins/supplements grew nearly 6% in grocery, drug and mass merchandiser channels, including Wal-Mart, in 2008, second only to sports drinks, up more than 7% (see Figure 1)1. More important, vitamins/supplements was the only top 10 healthcare category to post positive unit sales gains, up almost 6% in similar mass channels.
Despite half of households with incomes under $55K having difficulty buying the groceries they needed last year, only 38% of lower income households (<$35K) and 17% of those >$100K bought fewer healthy products according to IRI2.
Moreover, Packaged Facts reports that U.S. sales of functional foods/drinks across all retail channels reached mo
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