In 2009, 72% of U.S. adults took a vitamin and/or other supplement to strengthen their ability to fight infection/illness—61% a multivitamin, 41% an individual nutrient and 16% a combo product, according to the “2009 Gallup Study of Nutrient Knowledge & Composition.” About half (52%) bought foods/drinks to boost their immune response, mostly those “naturally rich” in nutrients (46%) or fortified (32%). Sales of vitamin C supplements jumped 8% to $970 million in 2009; echinacea 7% to $130 million, reports Nutrition Business Journal.
Despite this explosive demand, recent intense scrutiny from FTC, FDA and EU authorities have made the immune segment a regulatory minefield. Airborne settled a lawsuit for more than $23 million, CVS paid nearly $3 million in refunds for misleading claims for AirShield and FDA warned more than 75 websites to stop selling 135 products using fraudulent H1N1 claims. Most recently, Danone, Kellogg’s and Nestle have been slapped for probiotic-based immunity claims on their children’s products. Lastly, EU authorities have refused to support probiotic health claims.
Market Potential
Not surprisingly, consumers are returning to “tried and true” products they believe boost immunity. More than eight in 10 adults (85%) look for a specific ingredient: 67% vitamin C, 46% whole grains, 39% fiber, 37% superfruits, 35% omega 3s, 25% herbal ingredients and 24% probiotics, according to Gallup.
According to Sloan Trends’ TrendSense model, immunity is a mass-market opportunity, with activity way above both the Medical/Nutrition and Consumer thresholds. However, when looking at individual health linkages to the term immunity in the Medical activity or colds, flu and immunity in the Consumer activity, there are only a few standout ingredients.
Only fiber has reached mass-market status for colds/flu/immunity and it appears that probiotics will be the next health linkage to move out of the Popularization Phase and into the Commercialization Phase. Surprisingly, vitamin C and omega 3 remain in the Popularization Phase, “on target” to condition-specific, very health-conscious and/or specialty channel shoppers. Herbs such as echinacea are still in the Emerging Phase, indicating there is not enough medical/nutrition activity to create an immunity health linkage with mainstream consumers. Echinacea is the only ingredient shown on the TrendSense chart where Medical activity has not crossed the critical threshold for a long-term sustainable trend.