What will the food supplements of tomorrow be like? Explore this topic following our four sections:

1.    The dynamics of the food supplements market 
2.    Innovations and technology 
3.    Customisation: a promising avenue for development 
4.    The future of botanical food supplements 

The dynamics of the food supplements market

For over ten years, the global market for food supplements has been exploding, with sales of €250 billion projected for 2024! (1) Here's a summary of this growth and the concepts driving this success with consumers.

Food supplements market figures

In 2023, the share of the global food supplements market was estimated at 177.50 billion USD and is expected to reach a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1% between 2024 and 2030 (2), amounting to 327.4 billion USD. Over this forecast period, the US supplements market is expected to grow by 5.7%, while the European market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.0%.

According to Synadiet, between 2019 and 2022, the food supplement market grew by almost 25% in France. Sales growth reached €2.6 billion in 2022, with a 13% increase since 2021 (2). In France in 2023, sales of supplements in pharmacies (4) grew by 8% making these products the 3rd largest contributor to growth in this network (ex aequo with reimbursable medical equipment). Between March 2021 and 2023, 59% of French people indicated that they had taken food supplements (5).

This market growth is being driven by the desire for better overall health, based on new consumer habits and specific needs including sleep, tonus/vitality and intestinal well-being. These three promises will account for 33% of the pharmacy market in 2022 (6).

The sheer size of this market is creating opportunities for brands to be innovative: sales of gummies have exploded, with 40% growth in 2023 (pharmacies and para-pharmacies) compared with the same period in 2022 (7).

The sector is exploring new avenues, and manufacturers are relying on the natural composition of ingredients, practical formats and original galenic formulations to stand out amid the abundance of products.

Health groups such as PERRIGO and URGO or Procter & Gamble are joining the ranks of long-established food supplement laboratories (ARKOPHARMA, LES 3 CHÊNES, PILEJE, FORTÉ PHARMA, NUTERGIA, etc.). Specialists in organic products such as HAVEA or LEA Nature and online sales sites such as ONATERA dedicated to natural health products are also establishing themselves.

Consumers and the food supplement offer

Consumers have changed their priorities and now prefer to take supplements to meet their specific needs and keep fit by following a holistic approach. Aware of the need to live longer (8), they turn to products that support intestinal and immune health.

In 2023, 74% of French people claim to have bought food supplements (9) and 82% of them opt for seasonal cures. The decisive criteria for buyers are cost, but also Made in France quality and the natural, safe composition of the products.

On a global scale, new products are being launched in the sleep, energy and immune support segments, to name just a few. The second focus is on mental health, including mental well-being, stress and improved mood. A third of new supplements (between March 2022 and March 2023) in the United States and Eastern Europe relate to these segments (10). Products focusing on skin health and women's health at every stage of life are also booming (11). Finally, energy-boosting benefits are still very popular (with a quarter of the world's food supplement users seeking vitality), with botanicals such as ginseng and guarana, which is  naturally rich in caffeine (12).
 

A winning combination: naturalness and prevention

In 2023, naturalness was cited as the top purchasing criterion by 78% of food supplement consumers (13). Innovation in botanical-based ingredients is growing with increasing consumer interest in healthy, natural products with a low environmental impact. The use of natural ingredients is also seen as a safer alternative that minimises undesirable effects. For example, 48% of American consumers believe that natural ingredients are effective, and one out of three say they are interested in botanicals to improve their mood and mental well-being (14).

Botanical innovation is setting the tone for all segments of the supplements market, with new products formulated from medicinal botanicals. In France, two out of three food supplements are of botanical origin (15). There is growing interest in the adaptogenic capacities of certain botanicals, such as ashwagandha (+519% research volume), rhodiola and ginseng, as well as mushrooms.  

The growing popularity of products based on the potential of botanicals, natural self-medication and phytotherapy reflects the new challenges facing brands in terms of product naturalness, traceability, safety and efficacy, etc. The numerous launches of food supplements by pharmaceutical companies (Sanofi, Pierre Fabre, GSK...), specialists in botanical-based active ingredients (Arkopharma, Havéa...), aromatherapy (Puressentiel...) and probiotics (PileJe, Biocodex...) bear witness to a sector that is doing extremely well. 

In addition to this enthusiasm for naturalness, there is also a preventive approach to health. According to Euromonitor International, in 2022, 62% of consumers defined healthiness as a healthy immune system. In 2023, 66% of them said they wanted to focus on immunity-based products (16), a sphere that is no longer dissociated from overall health following the pandemic (17). Consumers are more aware of the risks posed by nutritional deficiencies, and are better informed about scientific advances, so they want to take a proactive approach to staying healthy. As a result, they are targeting food supplements with specific claims, in particular to boost the body's natural defences and microbiota, and to guarantee long-term health benefits.

According to PharmaLinea & IQVIA (18), the main trends in the nutraceuticals market in 2024 will focus on proactive health, the microbiome and beyond, digestive health, sustainability, women's health, mental health and botanical-based products, as well as issues relating to sugar and salt, physical activity, alternative proteins and the cost of products. 

Find out in our next article how food supplements are evolving, between galenic innovations and technological advances.

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Sources :

(1) Synadiet, Grand View Research Inc
(2) https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/dietary-supplements-market

(3 & 5) Toluna Harris Interactive,  Baromètre 2023 de la consommation des compléments alimentaires en France, Synadiet mars 2023
(4) https://www.lesechos-etudes.fr/blog/actualites-21/reseau-officinal-en-2023-le-gers-data-fait-le-bilan-12333

(6 & 7) GERS Data, Sell Out GERS pour Les Echos Etudes « Compléments alimentaires : l’innovation remodèle le marché »
(8) IQVIA Global OTC Insights, IQVIA Confidential | MAT Q3 2023 | January 2024
(9) Grand View Research
(10 & 11) Innova Market Insights, Category Insider: Global Trends in Supplements, May 2023
(12) Innova Market Insights, Powerful Energizers: Unveiling the Latest Global Trends in Caffeine and Energizing Ingredients, August 2023
(13) Les Echos Etudes d’après le baromètre 2023 Harris/Synadiet et GERS Data
(14) Innova Market Insights, Mood Health, February 2023
(15) Synadiet, Grand View Research Inc
(16) FMCG Gurus, Janvier 2022
(17) FMCG Gurus, rapport 2023
(18) Nutraceutical market trends for 2024, insights by PharmaLinea & IQVIA