Market Trends

Nutritional Supplements in the U.S.

Fears about the recession dampening the nutritional supplement business have not been realized. Indeed, if anything, the market appears to have benefited from the economic uncertainty, since supplements stack up well against expensive prescription medications and possibly preventable medical procedures, especially as healthcare costs continue to soar. Accordingly, consumers are turning to supplements as a more affordable way to stay healthy, and even cash-strapped consumers used to taking supplements have been reluctant to eliminate them from their lifestyle regimens. At the same time, older Americans are significantly more likely to integrate supplements into their daily lives, and as the massive Baby Boomer population ages the supplement industry continues to widen its customer base. With these favorable winds at its back, the market has progressed steadily from 5.5% annual growth in 2007 to 6.5% in 2008 to 7.5% in 2009, bringing U.S. retail sales to $9.4 billion in 2009.