The Analyst's Take: Sleep supplement sales growth spikes to 12% thanks to hemp CBD

The sleep supplement category has itself been pretty sleepy over the past few years. Growth of melatonin, which currently makes up 55% of sleep supplement sales, slowed to 2.2% in 2016, and reversed to -1.0% in 2017. But the emergence of hemp CBD supplements is waking up the category, contributing to a 2018 growth boost of more than 12%. Crafty formulators are combining hemp CBD with other botanicals and herbs targeting sleeplessness, and even melatonin, allowing them to make sleep support claims. Furthermore, in NBJ's survey of over 2,000 U.S. consumers, we found that 41% of those familiar with CBD believe it is effective for sleeplessness, and 29% of CBD purchasers use CBD products for sleep, so it's not surprising to see today's hottest ingredient trending in this condition.

Interestingly, hemp CBD isn't the whole story in the rising growth of sleep supplements though. Combination herbs (formulated without melatonin) grew 13.9% in 2018, and magnesium continues to gain traction in the category with growth of 10.2%. Growth is also driven by recent format innovations in sleep, including gummies, shots, canned beverages and more, which meet increasing consumer demand for innovative delivery formats. As consumers increasingly understand the relationship between healthy sleep and overall health, NBJ projects continued growth and innovation in the sleep category.

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