Harris interactive has unveiled a study on the profile of consumers and non-users of food supplements. Return to the results of this study with the article of Culture Nutrition.

What do the French people think of food complements?

The French are rather familiar with food supplements. 68% of them have already consumed them during their lifetime and 54% have consumed them during the last 12 months.

Naturality put to the test

Although nutraceuticals are becoming more and more vegetalized, some consumers perceive food supplements as "chemical". Proof that it is necessary to go even further on this item.

The challenge of perceived utility

They consider food supplements more as comfort products or preventive products than as treatment products. As for the usefulness of the food complements, the French are rather divided. The most prominent responses from the survey are:

• “Addressing food deficiencies”, cited in 54% of the responses
• “Prevent and maintain good health”, cited in 39% of the responses
• “Eliminate or reduce discomfort in everyday life”, cited in 26% of the responses

Consumers versus non-consumers

Overall, the majority of consumers are women (58%), from a higher socio-professional category. Supplementation with food supplements is part of an overall approach to well-being and health. Indeed, consumers are particularly attentive to their health. They have a positive view of food supplements and consider them to be rather natural products. Consumers find the supply of food supplements satisfactory but still consider them too expensive (65%). They are attentive to the advice of health professionals, 34% of them make their choice following the advice of the pharmacist and 22% that of the doctor.

On the other hand, non-consumers have a more masculine profile. Their typical profile? A couple without children or a retired person (37% of non-consumers). They have a rather chemical vision of food supplements. 42% are real refractories and say they cannot be convinced. But what about the remaining 58%?

How to convince non-consumers?

Non-consumers are mainly so because they do not see (or do not know?) the usefulness of food supplements (cited in 55% of the responses), consider that they do not need them (44%) or do not have confidence (31%). This is where prescribers come in! 58% of them nevertheless claim that they can be convinced, mainly by a health professional (doctor, pharmacist).

Non-consumers also expect scientific evidence, whether from scientific and medical studies (23%) or from doctors' testimonies. They also expect support from the authorities, including reimbursement of food supplements.

The food supplement market continues to grow and 26% of French people even believe that they will probably increase their consumption of food supplements in the coming years. In the light of this study, the biggest challenges for the nutraceutical market? Proof of effectiveness and naturalness!

AgriWasteValue

Discover how the AgriWasteValue can innovate in the food complement industry and meet the consumer’s growing expectations. [link to the project page]