U.S. consumers turn to dietary supplements for myriad reasons. Some follow a holistic health model and simply want to support their overall well-being. Many others adhere to a more allopathic approach and view supplements as an important tool for addressing specific health problems, such as high cholesterol or joint pain.
This, of course, explains why so many of the products in the supplement aisle are marketed around targeted health conditions—which, according to Nutrition Business Journal, are reflected in the positioning of more than 90 percent of all supplement products sold in the United States. “Conditions certainly drive our supplement sales,” concurs Peggy Ranger, owner of Peggy’s Natural Foods in Stuart, Fla.
Weight loss. Heart health. Bone health. These have been among the top historical drivers of condition-specific supplement sales, according to NBJ, Natural Foods Merchandiser’s sister publication. Such conditions are likely to remain important well into the future; however, as the U.S. population rapidly ages and grows larger in girth, an increasing number of shoppers are also expected to seek natural solutions for blood-sugar management, cognitive health and chronic inflammation.
Here we explore the important market and ingredient trends within these three rising condition-specific categories and offer product suggestions that could help you generate more sales.