“I want to be in control of my health
and wellness, to manage or improve it
through making better choices”
“I want to be in control of my health and wellness, to
manage or improve it through making better choices”
As modern lifestyles create new health challenges, maintaining or
improving health and wellness has become a well established priority in
many people‟s lives. As health infrastructures feel the strain of rising
demand and falling support, the responsibility for people to find their
own path to good health has become more important.
The economic crisis has shifted the focus of health and wellness toward
managing the basics. Staying healthy and avoiding illness are the
current priority where the cost of care is high and time out from the
workplace may represent a risk. Higher order health needs have been
put on hold for a while.
Navigating the choices on offer remains complex, many people are
seeking more simplistic and cost effective approaches. Basic nutrition
and, more traditional and natural solutions continue to grow in
popularity.
The changing shape of the trend as the recession
continues
COPING
with the pressures of
change
From enhancing
health to a focus on
ensuring good health
in the short and
longer-term
Quest for health
and wellness
EMBRACING
the opportunities of
change
MORE INTENSE
Quest for health
and wellness
Financial anxiety causes consumers to place
greater emphasis on coping strategies and
solutions
LESS INTENSE
Consumers feel less inclined to embrace new
opportunities, particularly if they carry a
premium
Health is still a top concern for people, companies
and regulatory authorities
I would like to be able to monitor my own
health more effectively
2008
% Agree
90
80
80
2009
80
79
67
70
66
68
71
68
80
69
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Ireland
GB
Rest of EU
Source: Global MONITOR 2009
USA
BRIC
New York State has
announced plans to tax
manufacturers who
contribute to obesity, in
the form of an 18% levy
on non-diet soft drinks.
Source: www.nydailynews.com
An increasingly balanced lifestyle approach emerging as people
seek to take control of their own health
I believe that looking after my health is entirely my
own responsibility
% Agree
100
89
2008
90
85
81
80
2009
86
80
84
88
81
83
60
40
Change4Life is a societywide movement that
aims to prevent people
from becoming
overweight by
encouraging them to eat
better and move more.
The Change4Life
advertising campaign
began on 3 January 2009
– on TV, in the press, on
billboards and online.
Source: www.dh.gov.uk
20
0
Ireland
GB
Rest of EU
Source: Global MONITOR 2009
USA
BRIC
More traditional and natural solutions are
increasingly popular
Ecover‟s natural cleaning
product sales have grown
20% in recent years, and are
predicted to rise
approximately 5% by the
end of 2009 in spite of the
recession. Sales are so
strong that the company is
also branching out into the
personal care market.
Source: www.businessgreen.com
For the last quarter of 2008 retail
sales of vitamins and supplements
in the US totaled nearly $639
million, up almost 10 percent from
the same period in 2007. That
included a nearly 6 percent
increase in sales of Chinese herbal
supplements alone, according to
Chicago based research firm
Information Resources Inc.
Source: www.us.infores.com
Drivers
Increasing availability of
information
Sub-trends
Boosting the body
Strategies to protect against physical illness and
disease
Finding balance
Looking for balance in nutrition, diet and
lifestyle
Scientific advances
Image control
Managing weight and external appearance
Growing public and media
focus on health and image
Pure and fresh
Seeking reassurance from Mother Nature
Coping strategies
Using or excluding products in a response to
modern-day ailments
Increasing life expectancy
Guiltless vices
Mitigating the effects of indulgence
Key takeaways
• Higher order health needs have been put on hold whilst staying
absent from illness remains a primary concern in today‟s
environment. Products that help boost the body‟s defences
resonate with people who fear the consequence of being ill.
• The health benefits offered by more natural solutions continue to
resonate with people who increasingly fear the role of science and
who want solutions that cost effectively fit in with their lifestyles.
For many, the focus on good food and nutrition has become more
important.
• Healthy and more indulgent choices can increasingly be the same
thing. Technology is allowing for guilt to be removed from enjoying
the products we would normally perceive as harmful to health.
SUB-TRENDS
SUB-TREND:
Boosting the body
Strategies to protect against physical illness and disease
As health infrastructures struggle through rising demand and falling support, concern over
maintaining physical health is on the rise and people are increasingly open to ways of
boosting the body to avoid illness and disease. A wide variety of solutions are available, with
increasing numbers that offer instant results.
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Pomegranate
juice fortified with
antioxidants,
Global
THEN
Milk enriched
with fish oils to
boost brain
function, GB
Medicine offers a
pre-emptive strike
against the onset of
illness, GB
Foods that offer health protecting ingredients
Intravenous vitamin
solutions to boost your
immunity in your lunch
break, Japan
Antioxidant enriched
coffee allows people to
boost their body’s
defence whilst enjoying
their daily cup, Thailand
NOW
More instant solutions and protection offered by a
wide array of foods
SUB-TREND:
Boosting the body
Strategies to protect against physical illness and disease
Kill a cold before it
happens, GB
Intravenous courses of
vitamins, Japan
Build your defences with
your daily cup, Thailand
First Defence is a breakthrough
in the war against the common
cold. While most cold medicines
suppress symptoms, Vicks First
Defence attacks colds at their
source, removing the virus
before it has a chance to
develop.
The Tenteki clinic offers ten
minute slots to administer
courses of health boosting
vitamins. The courses are colourcoded and include Blue for
protection against cold
symptoms, Red to tackle low
energy and White to protect
against the effects of ageing.
The antioxidants in this
enriched coffee allow
consumers to continue enjoying
their daily cup, whilst naturally
boosting their body‟s defence
against the harming effects of
pollution and other everyday
health threats.
SUB-TREND:
Finding balance
Looking for balance in nutrition, diet and lifestyle
Consumers continue to seek balance in their lives and pursue solutions that focus on the
wellness of the mind as much as the body. Brands can help people to find the right solution
that fits with their lifestyle and daily routines.
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Yoga practice and
associated products
grow in popularity,
Global
THEN
Laughter becomes
a route to better
happiness, Mexico
Alternative lifestyle choices emerge
Aromatherapy is
offered by more
everyday
products like
cleaning, Brazil
Yoga on your
mobile for flexibility
on-the-go, India
Wellbeing wine with
amino acids that
improves your
mood, Japan
NOW
Balance offered by more everyday products and
solutions designed to fit modern lifestyles
SUB-TREND:
Finding balance
Looking for balance in nutrition, balance and lifestyle
Mobile phone yoga, India
Wine that improves
mood, Japan
Aromatherapy cleaning,
Brazil
Shilpa‟s Yoga is a fitness routine
that has been adapted for mobile
phones by the developer
Shemaroo. The makers express
a desire to 'make Yoga simple'
for Indians to practice wherever
they are.
Wine that is enriched with amino
acids helps stimulate the
production of seratonin, essential
in the regulation and promotion
of good mood. Enjoying a glass
of enhanced wine with the
evening meal can now help the
consumer to unwind, relax and
proactively balance mood.
This cleaning product offers a
relaxing sensation based on
aromatherapy. People are
seeking wellbeing in the most
unexpected areas of their lives.
SUB-TREND:
Image control
Managing weight and external appearance
Maintaining weight and external appearance continues to be a top priority for many people.
Increasingly busy lives make exercise and beauty regimes harder maintain. Food and diet
increasingly offers a simpler way to maintain appearance that does not cost too much.
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Collagen
marshmallows for
great skin, Japan
THEN
Whitening
toothpaste that
helps suppress
appetite, Australia
Niche products offer short cuts to manage
image and weight
Yogurts that offer
eternal beauty
when eaten,
Switzerland
Beer offers a means
to a better diet and
way to keep your
shape, Korea
Foods that make you
fuller for longer
becomes part of the
diet strategy, GB
NOW
Satiety products become more mainstream and
eating for beauty more common place
SUB-TREND:
Image control
Managing weight and external appearance
Eating for beauty,
Switzerland
Fuller for longer, GB
Beer for the ideal body,
Korea
Emmi Aloe Vera Sensitive
Yoghurt offers the vital freshness
of and the tangible health
benefits of the Aloe Vera plant,
helping you to look and feel
better. A mild yoghurt with only
1.1% fat contains 15g of the gel
of the aloe vera plant.
Shape‟s new yoghurt helps
consumers feel fuller for longer.
It contains an exclusive Hunger
Control Formula with active fibre,
high protein and a satisfying
creamy texture.
Hite Beer, one of Korea‟s largest
brewing companies, launched its
„Exfeel S‟ brand. Exfeel means
'excellent feeling' and S stands
for S-Line, a Korean term
referring to the ideal body shape
of women. The new beer contains
dietary fibre and is targeted at
beer drinkers in their 20s and
30s.
SUB-TREND:
Pure and fresh
Seeking reassurance from Mother Nature
Many people remain weary of the longer-term consequences of the interventions of man and
the advances of science. Natural products offer the healthy reassurances of Mother Nature
and provide a simpler solution at a time when the world seems confusing and complex.
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Whole Foods search
for the highest quality,
least processed, most
flavourful and natural
foods possible, US &
GB
THEN
Organics spread to
other categories like
cosmetics, Global
Organic and natural surges in popularity
Chemical free is a
key story for
Galway Hooker
beers, Ireland
Raw Food restaurants
emerge were nothing is
heated above approximately
118 degrees in order to
preserve vitamins, minerals,
and enzymes, UK & US
Nano-sieves provide a
way to pasteurise
milk without affecting
its natural flavour,
Canada
NOW
Natural is taken to new levels of purity and being
unprocessed
SUB-TREND:
Pure and fresh
Seeking reassurance from Mother Nature
Raw Food, US
Pure Food and Wine's raw vegan
menu is entirely plant based and
does not use any processed
ingredients. Nothing is heated
above approximately 118
degrees in order to preserve
vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
Everyone always imagines a
menu of just salads, but it's
much more than that.
Grown in the wild,
Germany
Beyond organic Wild Coffee
Ethiopia grows naturally in the
rainforest without being seeded or
cultivated, providing the
reassurance of being free from
human agricultural influences.
Nano-sieved milk, Canada
Natrel milk bills itself as a more
natural product than
conventional Canadian
pasteurised milk. The milk is
passed through a nano sieve to
take out micro-organisms, which
yields a creamier, more natural
tasting product than
pasteurisation.
SUB-TREND:
Coping strategies
Using or excluding products in a response to modern-day ailments
Modern lifestyles continue to create new health threats for many people, allergies are
becoming more common place. These ailments often require managing, sometimes through
the exclusion of certain foods. More everyday and mainstream solutions are emerging that
mean there is rarely a need to look far for a safe alternative.
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Anti-oxidising tea that
stops melanin increase
to protect against UV
rays, Japan
THEN
Acai rich drink
boosts anti-oxidants
to protect against
pollution, US
Sulphur-free fruit
bars are safe for
asthmatics,
Australia
More specialist solutions to manage modern
ailments
Rice that has been
modified to
prevent allergic
reactions to
pollen, Japan
Posh cakes that
are wheat, gluten
and dairy free, GB
NOW
Choices that do not represent a compromise and
smarter ways to manage ailments
SUB-TREND:
Coping strategies
Using or excluding products in a response to modern-day illnesses
Asthma-friendly fruit
bars, Australia
GM rice protects against
allergies, Japan
Allergy-friendly cake
shop, GB
Cheeky Chewz dried fruit bars
are preservative and sulphur
free, which sets them apart from
most dried fruit bars that use
sulphur for preservation. Sulphur
is thought to aggravate asthma
and other allergies, so these bars
represent a safe choice for
asthma sufferers.
This recently developed rice has
been modified to contain the
proteins found in the most
common pollen that causes
allergic reactions such as
hayfever. Once digested, the
proteins are „accepted‟ by the
body, preventing over-reaction
to them when encountered in
the air. A new way for sufferers
to protect against their allergy
symptoms.
Cinammon Cloves cake shop in
London has responded to the
increasing number of people
with allergies and food
intolerances, by producing an
extensive range of cakes that
are suitable for those who
suffer from a wide range of food
allergies. Choices include cakes
that are gluten-free, wheat-free
and dairy-free.
SUB-TREND:
Guiltless vices
Mitigating the effects of indulgence
People increasingly see the odd moment of vice as an important way to keep balance in life.
However, now people can now increasingly let their halos slip without feeling too guilty about
the consequences.
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Calories
controlled in the
pack, US
THEN
Even lower fat
Mayonnaise, Global
Calorie control and reduced fat alternatives
Vodka that
reduces the
ingredients that
cause a hangover
by 20%, Russia
Activia Intensely Creamy
has been developed to meet
the needs of health
conscious people looking for
an everyday indulgence,
Europe
Oil designed to
reduce cholesterol
absorption, Israel
NOW
Full flavour, but with fewer downsides
SUB-TREND:
Guiltless vices
Mitigating the effects of indulgence
Reduced cholesterol
absorption, Israel
Intensely creamy but
good for you, GB
Less of a hangover
vodka, Russia
The Canola Activa Oil uses a
nanotechnology system to reduce
cholesterol absorption. Minute
insoluble micelles called
nanodrops are added to the oil,
which carry healthy components
to the blood stream in place of
cholesterol. The overall result is a
significant drop in cholesterol
absorption.
Danone Activia Intensely Creamy
has been developed to meet the
needs of health conscious people
looking for an everyday
indulgence. With just 3% fat and
only 118 calories per pot,
Danone Activia Intensely Creamy
not only presents a new option
for a guilt-free and delicious
dessert, but also offers the
digestive health benefits
associated with Danone Activia
yoghurts.
Vodka "Gradus" is a bright,
stylishly designed and tasty
vodka. For special softness,
Gradus vodka contains rye bran
extract and also the
carbohydrate module "Yantarlak",
which reduces the acuteness of
hangovers.
COUNTRY DIFFERENCES
COUNTRY RELEVANCE
How the trend is playing out in Ireland and GB
Improving health and wellness is a top concern in both markets and is pursued vigorously by
many people. It increasingly includes mental and spiritual wellbeing as well as physical, as
people focus on finding balance and boosting performance in uncertain times.
Ireland:
GB:
• Pure and Fresh is a strong theme, that makes
intuitive sense to consumers who are well
connected with local, fresh food and consider it to
be a part of life.
• Fresh food is not such an intrinsic part of life and
as a result, consumers do not actively seek to
include it in their diet to form part of the daily
routine.
• Leading a balanced life is considered to be very
important, and being healthy means to be
holistically „well‟ incorporating the spiritual and
mental elements of wellbeing as well as the
physical.
• The abundance of conflicting messages in the
media around health and wellness means that
many consumers are confused about which
behaviours they should or should not be
practising. In order to navigate health and
wellness successfully, help and guidance is often
required.
• Being healthy is a part of life, and as a result
there is less evidence of extremes of behaviour.
• Health fads are more common, especially in
urban areas where there is little or no connection
with the origins of a balanced, fresh and healthy
diet.
COUNTRY RELEVANCE
How the trend is playing out in Ireland and GB
Ireland:
GB:
Boosting the body
Boosting the body
Strategies to protect against
physical illness and disease
Strategies to protect against
physical illness and disease
Finding balance
Finding balance
Looking for balance in nutrition,
diet and lifestyle
Looking for balance in nutrition,
diet and lifestyle
Image control
Image control
Managing weight and external
appearance
Managing weight and external
appearance
Pure and fresh
Pure and fresh
Seeking reassurance from
Mother Nature
Seeking reassurance from
Mother Nature
Coping strategies
Coping strategies
Using or excluding products in
a response to modern-day ailments
Using or excluding products in
a response to modern-day ailments
Guiltless vices
Guiltless vices
Mitigating the effects of indulgence
Strength in 2009:
Mitigating the effects of indulgence
Cooling
Still warm
Heating up
BEYOND THE RECESSION
BEYOND THE RECESSION
What might the next 2-5 years bring?
•
Natural and pure will continue to
represent a healthier choice
–
–
•
•
New and old ways of locking / preserving
the nutritional properties of food will
emerge. Frozen foods may grow to
represent a better, healthier and cheaper
solution.
Food will focus on the simplicity of its
ingredients
Nanotechnology will continue to offer
better ways of maximising the positive
qualities of natural ingredients and
reducing the downside of certain fats and
sugars.
Genetically modified food may make a
breakthrough where the health benefits
seem to outweigh possible risks.
PURITY
Haagen-Dazs has a new line of ice
cream called „five‟, and each
flavour has only five ingredients
and no additives or preservatives.
As another bonus, they have 30%
less fat that the traditional
variants.
SAME TASTE, LESS SUGAR
The natural health benefits of cocoa have
been combined with RBC‟s NanoCluster™
delivery system to create CocoaClusters,
a technologically advanced form of cocoa
that offers enhanced flavour without the
need for excess sugar.
ENHANCED FOODS
A GM soya bean enhanced with
fungal and plant genes raised
blood concentrations of
omega3 acids, which have
been found to protect against
cardiovascular disease and
help the growth of brain cells.
POINTS TO PONDER
POINTS TO PONDER
Navigating the challenges
of today
•
•
Can your product help boost the body against
disease and infection? What are the naturally
occurring ingredients within your products
that offer protection against everyday
illnesses? Does your brand allow you to
communicate these benefits effectively?
How can you support people‟s desire for a
little indulgence, but help to reduce the
downside? Can you offer an indulgent treat
that has less of a negative impact i.e. less
sugar and fat?
Planning for the
longer term
•
What new ingredients can products use to
help boost the body against disease and
infection? What new types of superfoods can
you include in your products?
•
How can you support a balanced lifestyle that
treats the health and wellness of the mind
and body as one? How can you offer people
emotional as well as physical wellbeing?
•
How can you ensure that your manufacturing
process keeps the food as close to its natural
state as possible? How can you utilise
packaging solutions that keeps the food as
fresh and natural as possible? Is frozen food a
a possible solution?
•
Can you develop specialist variations on your
products that serve the needs of people
struggling with modern day illnesses? How
can adding or omitting certain ingredients
help to meet this growing need?