Opportunities in the Sports Nutrition Industry | Mintel

The worldwide sports activities vitamin trade has loved good success over the previous decade. 

However there are a variety of hurdles that the trade wants to beat with a view to safe future and sustainable progress. The UK sports activities vitamin trade grew by virtually 25% in 2023, nonetheless this rise was largely pushed by inflationary value rises.

The strongest competitors to sports activities vitamin manufacturers comes from exterior the sports activities vitamin trade altogether. 

Over half of UK customers imagine that practical food and drinks merchandise can ship the identical advantages as sports activities vitamin merchandise. This notion is supported by the rise in vitamin claims on food and drinks merchandise that may usually be related to sports activities vitamin merchandise, corresponding to excessive protein content material. Mintel’s World New Merchandise (GNPD) exhibits a 6.2% improve in meals and drinks merchandise displaying a ‘excessive/added protein’ declare between 2021 and 2023. The rising availability of food and drinks merchandise with vitamin claims is offering cost-conscious customers with a handy and inexpensive various to sports activities vitamin merchandise. Mintel’s client analysis discovered that over 1 / 4 of German customers purchase much less sports activities vitamin merchandise when cash is tight.

Regardless of this, and additional challenges which shall be detailed forward, there are quite a few alternatives for progress within the sports activities vitamin trade.

The sports activities vitamin trade can depend on its devoted client base considerably. A good portion of sports activities vitamin customers are extremely dedicated, with a big majority of UK customers utilizing these merchandise at the very least as soon as every week. Nonetheless, customers of sports activities vitamin skew closely in direction of youthful generations. Within the UK, three-quarters of individuals aged 16-34 use sports activities vitamin merchandise, in comparison with beneath one in ten amongst these aged 65 and older. In Germany, related tendencies are noticed, with the core person group being the 16-34 age vary, and solely 6% of over-65s utilizing sports activities vitamin merchandise. The sports activities vitamin trade wants to shut the era hole.

Nonetheless, the generational distinction is just not as a consequence of lack of curiosity. There may be really important curiosity in sports activities vitamin merchandise amongst older generations, notably sports activities vitamin merchandise which assist wholesome ageing, with virtually half of UK adults aged 55+ who train discovering these interesting. The barrier for many older customers is a lack of knowledge. As beforehand mentioned, manufacturers want to obviously clarify the advantages of sports activities vitamin, that is particularly pertinent with older generations, as solely round one in ten UK adults over-55 who train agree that the advantages of utilizing sports activities vitamin merchandise are normally clearly defined by manufacturers. 

Sports activities vitamin manufacturers would even be well-advised to look to the opposite finish of the age spectrum for progress alternatives. The youth sports activities vitamin market is important, notably in China, pushed by authorities initiatives to advertise bodily exercise amongst youngsters. Mother and father in China have gotten extra eager about food and drinks particularly designed for sports activities, so this space is a chance for innovation within the Asian market. Equally within the US, mother and father are more and more investing of their kids’s sporting actions, creating alternatives for manufacturers to supply sports activities vitamin merchandise tailor-made to the wants of younger athletes.

There’s a hole in client understanding of the advantages of sports activities vitamin merchandise, and this will act as a barrier to utilization, with virtually half of UK customers saying that figuring out extra about sports activities vitamin merchandise would encourage them to make use of them extra ceaselessly. A insecurity within the class is discouraging many customers from buying sports activities vitamin merchandise, even amongst those that at present use sports activities vitamin merchandise, virtually three-quarters would love extra help in choosing the proper product for them.

It’s very important for sports activities vitamin manufacturers to simplify their messaging with a view to talk the worth of their merchandise and achieve an edge over the competitors from practical food and drinks classes. Higher educating customers on the advantages of sports activities vitamin will assist manufacturers justify their larger value factors, serving to to fight the class’s poor worth picture. Amongst those that assume high-protein sports activities vitamin merchandise are a poor value-for-money supply of protein, 49% say that figuring out extra about sports activities vitamin would encourage them to make use of them/use them extra.

Though packaging is a vital supply of knowledge for customers, manufacturers can go additional with educating customers. In Germany, manufacturers are utilizing healthcare professionals on social media to teach customers, and improve credibility of their merchandise. Manufacturers ought to look to utilise on-line house to teach customers. Many sports activities vitamin manufacturers already do that within the UK, nonetheless solely a small proportion of customers have engaged with this content material, suggesting that extra needs to be carried out to direct prospects in direction of it.

Trying additional forward, synthetic intelligence holds potential for manufacturers to assist customers within the sports activities vitamin class, with half of UK customers saying they might belief an AI instrument to advise them on which sports activities vitamin merchandise to make use of.

Clear label is without doubt one of the principal trending subjects in sports activities vitamin. Customers throughout the globe are prioritising pure components over processed ones. The clear label motion is having an affect on the sports activities vitamin trade, as customers are more and more favouring a easy components checklist on the merchandise they purchase there’s a sturdy client curiosity in pure sports activities vitamin merchandise that align with a ‘clear label’ picture. Nonetheless, many present merchandise characteristic lengthy ingredient lists with numerous components and preservatives to reinforce flavour, shelf life, and performance. Reformulating merchandise to align with clear label requirements might be pricey. Pure components and clear processing strategies might improve manufacturing prices, doubtlessly resulting in larger costs for customers.

There aren’t any fast fixes for the sports activities vitamin trade to enhance its ‘clear label’ picture. The components checklist doesn’t lie. 

Chopping again on components and preservatives is a vital step, Mintel’s GNPD information exhibits that solely 15% of product launches made no components, colouring, flavourings or preservatives claims in 2023. Manufacturers which might be capable of embrace the clear label pattern ought to give attention to utilizing recognisable and pure components that can meet the expectations of health-conscious customers. Moreover, manufacturers ought to clearly talk the advantages of their clear label credentials on packaging and thru advertising and marketing efforts. Because of this, customers could also be extra keen to pay a premium for what they understand as a more healthy product, contemplating that Mintel has beforehand discovered that over a 3rd of Brazilian customers can be keen to pay extra for a product with a clear label.

The sports activities vitamin trade is at a crossroads, with alternatives for progress in new consumption events, pure product choices, and higher client steering on product advantages. Manufacturers are inspired to distinguish themselves by clearly speaking the distinctive worth of their merchandise and exploring untapped markets corresponding to seniors’ sports activities vitamin, youth sports activities, and clear vitality.

Mintel gives a spread of options and skilled steering to assist manufacturers of all sizes meet client expectations, drive progress, and spark innovation on this ever-changing panorama.

Rising manufacturers can begin their journey with a free Mintel Highlight subscription. You’ll get emailed weekly updates with the most recent information, together with free entry to our Highlight platform, offering insights, recent views and groundbreaking evaluation into the markets that matter.

For manufacturers searching for deeper insights and understanding into client behaviour, market dynamics, product growth and aggressive landscapes, we have now a variety of merchandise and options that will help you. Speak to a specialist as we speak!

Speak to a specialist as we speak – they’ll information you on methods to flip these insights into actionable methods.

Wish to begin making data-driven choices?