Datamonitor Consumer has identified a significant link between being overworked and the need for energy products. Indeed, almost one in four (24 percent) consumers who work overtime regularly are consuming energy drinks at least once per week; considerably more than those who work only their contracted hours (15 percent) or who are unemployed (14 percent).

As the health impact of energy drinks continues to come into question—not least due to the high-sugar and high-caffeine products that dominate the shelves—should employers be doing more to prevent workers having to resort to such measures in the first place?

More than half of employed consumers are regularly working overtime
The majority of full-time employed (56 percent) claim to regularly work overtime, whether through choice or necessity. Melanie Felgate, food and drink analyst at Datamonitor Consumer, explains: "The advent of the ‘mobile office,’ whereby consumers are more connected to their emails and other work tools than ever before, is driving a culture of employees working overtime beyond their contracted hours.”

"It is these same consumers who are the most in need of an energy boost to get them through the longer hours," continues Felgate. "Convenient energy products which can be consumed at work or on-the-go, such as energy shots, candy or chewing gum, will be the most attractive to this segment.”

Natural caffeine alternatives are creating “buzz”
While they are avid consumers of energy drinks, one in four overworked consumers are concerned about having too much caffeine (above the global average of 16 percent).

“The vast majority of those who feel overworked consume caffeinated products of some kind (whether coffee or other energy food and drinks), so products which offer a similar buzz without the caffeine are likely to appeal,” says Felgate. “We are seeing many natural alternatives to caffeine coming through in new energy innovation from turmeric to bee pollen and even cricket flour.”

More information on trends within energy food and drinks are included in Datamonitor Consumer’s new publication “Functional Nutrition: Energy”.