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11 February 2009
Taipei
40% of consumers surveyed in a major global study claim to use Vitamins & Dietary Supplement products but less that 60% of these are regular daily users. The survey, undertaken online across 52 countries by market research business The Nielsen Company, highlights the importance of Vitamins & Dietary Supplements in the lives of people around the world.
Usage is more prevalent in North America and Asian countries than Europe and Latin America. Highest levels of usage were recorded in Philippines and Thailand where two thirds (66%) of those surveyed claimed to use the products, with the Taiwan not far behind at 56%.
However, many users in Asia do not claim daily consumption, and it is on this measure that the USA tops the global ranking, with 44% of all those surveyed claiming to use Vitamins and Dietary Supplement products on a daily basis. This is in stark contrast to Spain and Italy, where only 8% of all those surveyed claimed daily usage. More than one fourth of Taiwanese (27%) claim they consume Vitamins and Dietary Supplement everyday.
Regional considerations play an important role with Vitamins & Dietary Supplement products. Looking at those consumers who claim to use the products, it is clear that daily usage is more focused on the more developed economies of Western Europe & North America, with most Asian and Middle Eastern markets showing more infrequent usage. This could be an indication of the types of products used and the routine in which they are taken, but also of the economics of daily usage and the reasons for usage.
The survey asked respondents who claimed to use Vitamin & Dietary Supplement products why they used them, providing them with a range of options to choose from. The primary benefit that consumers globally are expecting from their usage is to get a boost to their immune system. Over 60% of consumers chose this option globally and 39 out of 52 countries had this as their top response. Also important as a driver for usage were the responses "to help prevent me from getting ill" and "to ensure my diet is balanced".
It is interesting to note that the top response in the United States, with a response level of 62%, was "to ensure my diet is balanced". This reflects the pattern of the category in the US, where multi-vitamin products are given heavy marketing support and Americans use the products to offset poor diets. The only other country to achieve a 60% level of response for this option was Japan.
The role of healthcare professionals in driving usage of Vitamins & Dietary Supplements is relatively low, certainly compared to levels identified in previous Nielsen surveys exploring over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Globally, only 2% of product users are doing so because of advice from their pharmacist or healthfood retailer. The level of usage as a result of advice from a doctor or healthcare professional is also relatively low, with only 18% of users claiming to be doing so because of this advice. However, the influence of the doctor is high in a number of countries, especially India, Pakistan, Egypt, Israel, Argentina, Mexico and four European countries (France, Belgium, Italy & Spain).
The top three reasons why Taiwanese use Vitamins and Dietary Supplements are “to cover for a known diet deficiency (70%)” which is the highest around the globe, “to help boost my immune system (65%) “, and “to ensure my diet is balanced (47%)”.
According to Nielsen Advertising Information Services, the advertising expenditure of “Vitamins and Dietary Supplements” advertising sector in 2008 grew 21%. Wyeth, the biggest advertiser in ‘Vitamins and Dietary Supplement’ sector spent NT$120 million in 2008, followed by Cerebos’s NT$115 million advertising investment.
The survey also explored the reasons why respondents who claimed not to use Vitamins & Dietary Supplement products did not use them, providing a range of options to choose from.
Nearly half of respondents to this question said they did not see any need for them. This was the top response in 42 out of the 52 countries, and was particularly strong in Europe. Issues of expense were relatively important in South Africa and United States, and this mirrors findings from the survey on OTC medicines undertaken in 2007. A different perspective was provided by respondents in Japan and Korea, where issues of value for money were highlighted.
The top three issues for Taiwanese who do not use Vitamins and Dietary Supplements are “don’t see any need for them (45%)”, “too expensive (29%)” and “not value for money (23%)”. Taiwan tops the global ranking with one tenth said they do not consume Vitamins and Dietary Supplements because of dislike for the taste.
Finally, the survey highlights the scepticism that exists in many European countries towards Vitamins and Dietary Supplements products. Across all respondents to the survey - those who use the products and those who do not - the percentage of respondents by country who saw no need for the products in their lives is quite revealing.
Of the 9 countries where over 40% of respondents are in agreement with this sentiment, 6 are Western European countries, including three of the largest (France, Spain & Germany), and the majority of European countries are ahead of the global average of 29%.
About The Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey
The Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey, conducted by Nielsen Customized Research, was conducted in October 2008 among 26,202 internet users in 52 markets from Europe, Asia Pacific, North & Latin America and the Middle East. The largest half-yearly survey of its kind, the Nielsen Global Online Consumer Confidence and Opinion Survey provides insight into current confidence levels, spending habits/intentions and the major concerns of consumers across the globe.
About The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), online intelligence (NetRatings and BuzzMetrics), mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.
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