The COVID-19 pandemic has led consumers to increasingly choose products that help boost their immune system, a new study by Unilever has found.
Unilever’s CMI People Data Centre and CMI U-Futures found that there has been a rise in demand for products that contain additional vitamins and supplements, particularly vitamins C and D.
In the US, vitamin supplement intake rose by 15% in the space of a month, while Brazilian consumers are increasingly turning to vitamin C-rich fruits.
In Japan, yoghurts that help boost the immune response are popular, which across Asia, there has been a more pronounced focus on boosting immune response.
The desire for health and wellbeing post pandemic is a consistent trend across all markets, the study found.
Trend Towards Wellness
"COVID-19 has propelled the trend towards wellness as consumers seek nutritionally rich products that support their immune system," commented Hanneke Faber, president of Unilever Foods and Refreshment.
"We are also seeing a rise in demand for plant-based foods and supplements. One third of Unilever’s Food & Refreshments business is already plant-based, meaning we are well placed to respond to this consumption shift and can continue to supply the affordable, nutritional goods consumers are looking for."
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.