Consumers and their supplements, part two

In my previous blog post, I mentioned some information regarding interesting new findings on dietary supplements; cautionary findings in particular. Potential risks are more understood these days, tipping the risk/benefit scale from “it can’t hurt” to “maybe I better think twice.”

Has that message reached the “common consumer”? Are people really concerned about potential side effects of their daily intake of vitamins?
Survey says, “yes”.

Results of our newest consumer snapshot on supplement use ranks Safety as the Number One criteria for dietary supplement purchase. And a resounding 68% of those surveyed admitting to having some concerns about taking dietary supplements. Those being, in order: safety, effectiveness, quality of ingredients, allergies, dosage and side effects.

That said, people haven’t stopped believing that enhancing their diet with vitamins, minerals, herbs botanicals, or their performance with sports supplements will improve their well-being. When asked, “why do you take supplements?,” the number one answer was “to obtain nutrients for overall health,” followed closely by bone/joint health, immune support, and heart health. We ranked another eight and found some astounding (and some predictable) nuances relative to age and gender. You’ll have to see my talk at Focus on the Future for the details!

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) found that more than three-fourths of US physicians and nurses recommend dietary supplements to their patients. That meshes with findings in our survey – 42% of respondents said that Medical Professionals are their most trusted source of information, followed by Friends at 22%. My own family doctor suggested Calcium with Vitamin D and stopped there. When diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis seven years ago, I was convinced (after some online research) that mega-vitamins would send me into remission just as easily as methotrexate, and it seems that either preventing or treating chronic illness is when many people start popping. Now, the National Institutes of Health has said “no such luck.”

Still, there is plenty of upside to those supplement companies who think ahead, monitor their supply chain and talk about benefits that are often overlooked but clearly emerging as important to consumers. One of our more fascinating findings is the importance of supply and sustainability as purchase criteria. People are reading about contamination from things like mercury and lead. And harvesting, particularly regarding fish oils and some calcium. So much so that “sustainability” ranked third out of eleven possible purchase criteria.

Brand Name carries some weight in supplements. Dead last as a purchase criteria regarding food (for the third year in a row), Brand Name ranks right in the middle for supplements.

Price ranks second only to taste in criteria for food purchase. For supplements? Last.

This points to consumers who want their supplements to work, to have their safety certified and their benefits clearly stated and understood – and are willing to pay for it. Talk about opportunity!

Tags: dietary supplement, Focus on the Future, vitamins

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