This report looks at the following areas:
- Key market factors influencing the sports and exercise market
- Noteworthy product innovation trends and marketing highlights
- A comprehensive analysis of future business opportunities for nutritional supplementation brands targeting consumers who exercise – and in particular, winning strategies for the ‘light exerciser’ – based on the frequency and purpose of sports and exercise, the desired improvement in athletic performance, information and purchase channels, and preferences for nutritional ingredients and product formats in sports nutrition.
The emerging trend for ‘light workouts’ will boost the development of sports nutrition products positioned for casual snacking and convenience. Aside from enhancing athletic performance, in the future sports nutrition will also come to symbolise an active lifestyle and promote long-term health and wellbeing.
Catherine Liu, Principal Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
According to the official definition, ‘sports nutrition’ refers to specially processed food which caters for the metabolism, athletic ability and demands for certain nutrients (such as creatine, taurine, peptides and B vitamins) of people who engage in physical exercise three times or more per week, for a duration of 30 minutes or more each time, at at least a moderate intensity (such as long-distance running, aerobics and strength training). The scope of this report includes the ‘active population’, as defined by this official criteria.
In recent years, there has been a trend for ‘light workouts’ (轻运动), meaning that people participate in sports or exercise less than three times a week, or for less than 30 minutes each time. Therefore, ‘consumers who exercise’ as discussed in this report include those who participate in sports less than three times a week or for less than 30 minutes each time.
The sports nutrition products discussed in this report include:
- Food, drinks and supplements aimed at the officially defined ‘active population’, such as protein powders, energy gels and creatine fitness supplements
- Food and drink aimed at consumers who exercise, such as ready-to-eat protein supplements, dairy products, cereal bars, water and coffee
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Executive summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- What you need to know
- The market
- Key market factors
- Products and marketing
- Marketing activity highlights
- Overview of sports nutrition ecommerce sales
- New product trends: convenient energy supplementation becomes an innovation highlight; more effort is needed in ‘demystifying’ products
- Graph 1: leading claims in new food, drink and healthcare launches with ‘performance nutrition’ claims, 2019-24
- Graph 2: leading sub-categories of food, drink and healthcare launches with ‘performance nutrition’ claims, 2019-24
- Examples of products that reflect these trends
- The consumer
- ‘Light workouts’ emerge as a trend, with consumers exercising to boost their immunity and mental health
- Graph 3: motivations for taking part in sports and exercise, 2024
- Graph 4: frequency of sports and exercise, 2024
- Improving endurance, cardiopulmonary fitness and coordination makes exercise more enjoyable
- Graph 5: improvements to sporting performance, 2024
- Entry Level Consumers look for basic fitness, Carefree Consumers pursue strength + flexibility, Pioneers explore physical and mental breakthroughs
- Graph 6: select areas for improvements in sporting performance, by three major active consumer groups, 2024
- Graph 7: attitudes towards exercise and diet – cluster analysis, 2024
- Supplementation of essential nutrients better aligns with expectations for sports nutrition
- Graph 8: interest in added ingredients, 2024
- Shifts in protein demands see ready-to-eat products favoured
- Graph 9: format preferences for sports nutrition products, 2024
- Comprehensive shopping platforms play a crucial role in market education
- Graph 10: select purchase channels, by select information channels, 2024
- Graph 11: purchase channels, 2024
- Issues and insights
- What we think
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The market
- Market factors
- Exercise and health and ever more closely connected, driving developments in products which offer essential nutrients and improve wellbeing
- Outdoor sports are moving from niche to mainstream, fostering innovation in sports nutrition targeted at outdoor scenarios
- Graph 12: sports participation rate over the past three months, 2020-24
- Popularising specialised sports will expand the reach of sports nutrition
- Chinese dairy companies become more self-sufficient in demineralised whey production, pushing down the costs of protein products
- Marketing activities
- Fan interactions and support for professional athletes can help sports nutrition brands establish a specialised and approachable image
- Promotional channels related to ‘marathon fever’ boost the popularity of sports nutrition
- Support the internal and external health of outdoor exercisers
- New product trends
- Mintel GNPD’s definition
- Innovation accelerates in performance nutrition
- Graph 13: share of food, beverage and healthcare launches with ‘performance nutrition’ claims, 2019-24
- Energy and time/speed claims increase in sports nutrition launches
- Graph 14: leading claims in new food, drink and healthcare launches with ‘performance nutrition’ claims, 2019-24
- Examples of sports nutrition launches catering for convenient energy supplementation
- Snacking is expected to return to China’s sports nutrition market; brands can draw inspiration from overseas markets which see a high prevalence of snack innovations
- Graph 15: leading sub-categories of food, drink and healthcare launches with ‘performance nutrition’ claims, 2019-24
- Graph 16: leading sub-categories among food, drink and healthcare launches with ‘performance nutrition’ claims, 2023-24
- Examples of sports nutrition snacks launches with added protein
- Overview of ecommerce sales performance
- Drinks perform well, but sports nutrition food and beverages still need enhanced category diversity
- Whey protein and creatine supplements are top sellers, while there is still room for growth in post-workout recovery products
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The consumer
- Frequency and purpose of exercise
- Exercise intensity needs a boost, but fortunately there is a growing trend for light workouts
- Graph 17: frequency of sports and exercise, 2024
- Graph 18: frequency of sports and exercise – haven’t exercised in the last six months, 2023 vs 2024
- Exercise boosts both physical and mental health
- Graph 19: motivations for taking part in sports and exercise, 2024
- Men and women show opposing trends in physical activity as they age
- Graph 20: frequency of sports and exercise – 30 minutes or more, by male consumers and age, 2024
- Graph 21: frequency of sports and exercise – 30 minutes or more, by female consumers and age, 2024
- Improving sporting performance
- Enhance basic fitness to unlock the limitless possibilities of both specialised and mass sports
- Graph 22: improvements to sporting performance, 2024
- High-frequency exercisers want better coordination, regardless of exercise duration
- Graph 23: areas for improvements in sporting performance – top five, by high-frequency exercisers, 2024
- Older people should also work on their coordination to prepare for senior living
- Graph 24: areas for improvements in sporting performance – coordination, by age, 2024
- Desired improvements in athletic performance differ between men and women
- Graph 25: select areas for improvements in sporting performance, by gender, 2024
- Interest in added ingredients
- Consumers favour sports nutrition fortified with essential nutrients
- Graph 26: interest in added ingredients, 2024
- Focus on the unique appeal of plant extracts to high-frequency exercisers
- Graph 27: interest in select added ingredients, by duration and frequency of exercise, 2024
- Enhance education around performance-improving ingredients
- Graph 28: interest in select added ingredients, by select areas for improvement in sporting performance, 2024
- Format preferences for sports nutrition
- Ready-to-eat protein is favoured before and after exercise
- Graph 29: format preferences for sports nutrition products, 2024
- Explore the potential of sparkling water to give female exercisers a physical and mental boost
- Graph 30: format preferences for sports nutrition food/drink products – during exercise, by bottled and sparkling water, 2024
- Coffee is ideal for aiding recovery and healing the body and mind
- Graph 31: interest in added ingredients, by product format – post-exercise, 2024
- Information and purchase channels
- Sports nutrition products are commonly purchased on comprehensive shopping websites/apps
- Graph 32: purchase channels, 2024
- Short online video platforms are the most commonly used channels for learning about sports nutrition foods/drinks
- Graph 33: information channels, 2024
- Shopping websites/apps play an important role in market education
- Graph 34: select purchase channels, by select information channels, 2024
- Young people are increasingly reliant on products promoted by their trusted circles and popular entertainment content
- Graph 35: information channels, by age, 2024
- Profile of active consumers
- There are three major active consumer groups
- Graph 36: attitudes towards exercise and diet – cluster analysis, 2024
- Demographic characteristics
- Entry Level and Carefree Consumers are engaging in ‘light workouts’
- Graph 37: frequency of sports and exercise – duration of less than 30 minutes, by three major active consumer groups, 2024
- Graph 38: frequency of sports and exercise – 30 minutes or more, by three major active consumer groups, 2024
- Entry Level Consumers look for basic fitness, Carefree Consumers pursue strength + flexibility, Pioneers explore physical and mental breakthroughs
- Graph 39: select areas for improvements in sporting performance, by three major active consumer groups, 2024
- Appeal to Entry Level Consumers by focusing on daily hydration practices paired with general education around sports nutrition
- Graph 40: format preferences – after exercise, by three major active consumer groups, 2024
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Issues and insights
- Expand food and drink options to provide suitable nutritional supplements for the ‘light exerciser’
- The ‘light workout’ trend emerges, as consumers look to achieve better physical and mental well-being
- Integrate sports nutrition supplements into consumers’ daily diets
- Position sports nutrition as tailored to active lifestyles to capture the hearts of light exercisers
- Educate consumers about specialised sports nutrition, and how it can enhance athletic performance
- Chinese consumers lack awareness of specialised sports nutrition ingredients
- Demystifying the ingredients used in specialised sports nutrition to highlight the value of sports nutrition products
- The benefits of sports nutrition for post-exercise recovery cannot be ignored
- Develop sports nutrition products for Chinese consumers to boost long-term loyalty
- Sports nutrition should be adapted to Chinese palates
- Eliminate consumer churn due to taste preferences, and promote long-term repeat purchases
- Add plant extracts to improve athletic performance and boost long-term health
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Appendix – methodology and abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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