Top trends at the forefront of supplement sales
Three-quarters of global consumers take supplements for their health, with more than half buying supplements every month. Consumers list preventative health, general well-being, and supporting their immune system among the top reasons for taking supplements.
Within the supplement sector, a range of more specific trends are driving sales growth. We share the products behind the trends that meet growing consumer demand.
Hydration
In recent years, Australian consumers have become more concerned with hydration and are turning to supplements to quench their thirst. Electrolyte drinks have seen the second-largest growth in the beverage category, with an 18.5% increase of daily per capita consumption.
Popular natural alternatives for electrolyte drinks come from brands like Switch Nutrition, Happy Way and Eden Healthfoods. These brands prioritise clean ingredients, catering to conscious consumers looking for quality hydration solutions.
Another popular product for hydration is protein water, also capturing the growing demand for protein supplements. Macro Mike and Protein Supplies Australia are leading protein brands, both catering to this customer demand for protein water products with quality, vegan alternatives.
Hormone Health
Demand for women’s health products, such as for menstrual care and menopause symptoms, is on the rise. McKinsey & Company called women’s health out as an emerging trend in their 2024 wellness trends report, highlighting the growth opportunity in this category.
The sellout success of ANNA’s Wild Yam Cream is testament to the demand for effective hormone health products. The topical cream contains a potent blend of natural and nutritional compounds, which may provide relief from menstrual cramps and menopause symptoms.
Switch Nutrition meets demand with Estro, which is designed to support healthy reproductive hormones. Nature’s Help also offers a range of products for women’s hormone health, including Meno Cool for hot flushes, Meno Femin for libido and body health, and Fem Balance to help balance healthy hormones.
Sleep
Sleep is a problem for the majority of Australians, with 79% reporting that they struggle to fall asleep. Many of these people have turned to supplements as one possible solution for a better night’s sleep.
Magnesium is lauded for its benefits for sleep and a recent trend has seen magnesium bedtime drinks gain in popularity. Brands like Amazing Oils, Happy Way and Hemp Foods Australia provide delicious free-from alternatives that harness the sleep powers of magnesium.
Ritua also offers a supplement designed to support sleep, containing a blend of reishi mushroom, passionflower and kava.
Mushrooms
The global functional mushroom market – which includes mushroom supplements – is expected to more than double over the nine years from 2021 to 2030, reaching a value of AUD 98 billion. The ‘shroom boom’ is seeing functional fungi appearing in products across different categories, including food and beverages.
Evolution Botanicals offers consumers high-potency extracts from ethically sourced mushrooms, adaptogens and other herbs. Across the certified organic supply chain, the ingredients are tested for potency and purity in every batch, guaranteeing quality.
The locally owned Eumundi Botanicals range also includes mushroom supplements formulated by naturopaths and ayurvedic practitioners. The products are plant-based and free from dairy, gluten and fillers.
The complete Ritua range includes targeted supplements for sleep, stress and focus. The heroes of the range are functional mushrooms, each selected for their health benefits.
9.3 million Australians take vitamins for their health. That represents a 16% increase in a single year.1 According to the Complementary Medicines Australia 2021 Industry Audit, the sector as a whole is worth a staggering AUD 5.6 billion.2
As with any sector, the supplements sector has its complexities and trends driving the growth in the market. With the opportunity wholesale supplements present to retailers, you must understand those drivers and trends. Here are five key things you need to know for health supplement sales.
1. The most popular category is a vitamin and dietary supplements
In the 10 years to 2021, the vitamin and dietary supplement category have doubled. It is the largest and fastest-growing category in the supplement sector.2
40% of Australians take vitamin D supplements, making it the most commonly consumed supplement. This is closely followed by vitamin C and multivitamins, both taken by 34% of people.2
These numbers are significant, representing a large proportion of the population that shops within the supplement market. Capitalise on your share of the market with leading brands and products like:
- IMUNI has recently launched a new range of supplements, including a Vital D3 Oral Liquid as well as Vegan Complete, an all-in-one product for plant-based consumers.
- Eden Healthfoods Wild C Natural Vitamin C Powder is a highly bioavailable, entirely natural superfood blend sourced from wild berries and greens.
2. Immunity is the top health priority
In response to global events, consumer demand for immune health supplements is rising. Immunity is the biggest influence on innovation within the category.2
Interestingly, behind immunity, stress management and sleep support are the next largest priorities, followed by probiotics and plant-based products.2
Innovation is thriving with these brands offering high-quality options to stock your shelves:
- IMUNI Immune Defence is a top-selling, practitioner-quality immune health supplement.
- FijiKava is the first medicinal Kava brand in Australia with Noble Calm and Noble Sleep catering to the rise in interest in sleep support and stress management.
- PPC Herbs has a range of herbal medicines that target different concerns including immune health, stress and sleep.
3. Consumers are seeking personalised solutions
The age of personalisation has arrived with consumers seeking to tailor their supplement intake to their personal wellness goals rather than more general products. Research suggests that 55% of consumers seek out health products with claims that suit their individual needs.3 There is also increased interest in alternative supplement formats, such as powders or liquids, rather than traditional pills and capsules.4
As consumers become savvier about ingredients and look to reach their health goals, this drive towards personalisation is more important than ever.
You can make the most of this trend by offering products that make it easy for consumers to tailor their supplement intake to their own needs, such as:
- Supercharged Food Earth and Sea Beauty Capsules contain ingredients to support healthy hair, skin and nails for beauty supplement consumers.
- Eden Healthfoods Ultimate Biotic Pre/Probiotic comes in a powder format and can be mixed with water or juice for easy consumption.
4. Scientific evidence of efficacy matters
It's probably no surprise that modern consumers want to be sure that the products they use are backed by science. This is important to the majority of consumers, with 59% expecting scientific evidence to support supplement efficacy.5
Brands that can substantiate their claims with high-quality products may be seen more favourably by consumers.
Stock your shelves with brands that invest in research to select the highest-quality and most effective ingredients, including:
- IMUNI integrates evidence-based medicine and science to choosing optimal ingredients at therapeutic doses.
- FijiKava draws on over a decade of research to find the optimum Kava varieties and technology for their products.
5. Holistic wellness is front of mind
Today's consumers take a more proactive approach to preventative health. Consumers aren't afraid to indulge, but they take a long-term and holistic view of their health and wellness.6
Supplements have a role to play in this proactive approach. This links strongly with the trend towards personalisation, where consumers can proactively target their health concerns with supplements that support their individual needs.
There are innovative products, some beyond the traditional supplements, to consider stocking on your shelves as consumers increasingly prioritise their health. These include:
- Evolution Botanicals premium adaptogenic, mushroom and herbal extracts.
- IMUNI Magnesium Citrate Oral Powder, a critical mineral in the human body.
- Comvita Olive Leaf Extract products, which may support healthy immune and cardiovascular systems.
Shop our range of wholesale supplements
We've only mentioned a handful of the wholesale supplements and brands we stock at Unique Health Products. In our online store, you'll find a range of supplements to cater to consumer interest in the supplements category. You can shop online 24/7 or call our friendly sales team on 1800 787 904. New to Unique Health Products? If you don't have a wholesale account with us yet, you can register for one here.
