This report looks at the following areas:
- New product trends and marketing activities worth noting in the health and nutrition sector
- Consumer attitudes towards nutrition trends
- Purchase drivers for different food and beverage products
- Interest and trends in specialised nutrition management knowledge
- Consumer perception towards innovation opportunities for functional ingredients and MFH ingredients
- Expectations for digital marketing and services for functional food and beverages
- Personae of people who purchase healthy food and beverages
With the promotion of the 'Healthy China' (健康中国) strategy, consumption occasions and selling points of different categories are blending and expanding into each other, intensifying the competition. To stand out in the cross-category competition centred on 'health', brands can tap into the strengths of adjacent categories, while also looking beyond the physical health space to leverage selling points based around the idea of holistic wellbeing. They can also utilise precision nutrition, 'medicine and food homology' (MFH) and 'cosmetics as food homology' as secondary drivers of growth.
Qianqian Ji, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
In this Report, Mintel GNPD analysis of the China market covers food, beverage and healthcare categories.
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Executive summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- What you need to know
- The market
- Market factors
- Marketing activities
- New product trends
- Product examples reflecting the above trends
- The consumer
- Consumers’ focus on different ‘fattening’ ingredients varies with product category characteristics
- Graph 1: nutritional characteristics of various categories, 2024
- Consumers continue to focus on nutritional management knowledge related to immunity and digestive system issues
- Graph 2: interest in specialised nutrition, 2021 vs 2024
- Besides essential nutrients, consumers’ understanding of the efficacy of specific health ingredients varies in depth and breadth
- Graph 3: ingredient perceptions, 2024
- Health-graded food and beverages are more likely to reap a premium
- Graph 4: attitudes towards nutrition, 2024
- As perceptions strengthen, the dominant effects of emerging MFH ingredients become apparent
- Graph 5: perception of emerging medicinal food homology ingredients, 2024
- Personalised services closely linked to lifestyle are more attractive to consumers
- Graph 6: expectations for digital marketing/services, 2024
- Actual product value is more important when purchasing healthy food and beverages
- Graph 7: [no title]
- Issues and insights
- What we think
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The market
- Market factors
- Official guidance has been released on consuming less oil but more soybeans and dairy
- The first domestic beverage labelling system signals a move towards nutrition grading
- The MFH catalogue is expanded for the first time
- Marketing activities
- Exploring the potential effects of emotions in influencing other areas of health
- Combining professionalism and comprehensibility to enhance the health appeal of products
- Leveraging the ‘new five senses’ marketing strategies to break down barriers preventing young people using traditional supplements
- New product trends
- Reduced trans fats claims continue to rise, while no additives claims gain momentum
- Graph 8: select ‘minus’ claims to watch in food, drink and healthcare launches, 2019-2024
- Graph 9: select ‘natural’ claims to watch in food, drink and healthcare launches, 2019-2024
- Convenience’ claims fluctuate in snacks and instant foods
- Graph 10: distribution of categories to watch with ‘convenience’ claims, 2019-2024
- Functional claims are a boon to snack and drink categories
- Graph 11: distribution of categories to watch with ‘functional’ claims, 2019-2024
- MFH street snacks help consumers practice ‘easy yangsheng’
- Create lifestyle oriented healthy food and drinks
- Blending natural and technological approaches to appeal to a broader range of consumers
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The consumer
- Nutritional attributes of different products
- Consumers focus on different ‘fattening’ ingredients in different categories
- Graph 12: nutritional characteristics of various categories, 2024
- ‘Age-specific nutrition’ helps dairy brands attract the attention of parents of infants, children and teenagers
- Graph 13: select nutritional attributes of concern when purchasing dairy products, by age of children in household, 2024
- Nutrition messaging based on the idea of the Unfairer Sex aids dairy development for the 50+ demographic
- Graph 14: nutritional attributes of concern when purchasing dairy products, males aged 50-59 vs females aged 50-59, 2024
- Interest in specialised nutrition
- Consumers interest in nutrition knowledge related to immunity and digestive system issues continues to rise
- Graph 15: interest in specialised nutrition, 2021 vs 2024
- ‘Easy’ health management strategies may better appeal to health-conscious young people
- Reach seniors in big families by focusing on whole-family nutrition
- Consumers in lower tier cities are beginning to value nutrition knowledge related to boosting immunity, obesity and allergens
- Ingredient perceptions
- Consumers have a stronger understanding of essential nutrients but are only just beginning to learn about specific functional ingredients
- Graph 16: ingredient perceptions, 2024
- The development in awareness of healthy ingredients and their current status
- Women, especially those aged 30-39, show a deeper understanding of functional health ingredients
- Graph 17: ingredient perceptions–difference between perceptions of this function among women aged 30-39 vs overall women, 2024
- Graph 18: ingredient perceptions—’I don’t know the function that associates with this ingredient/don’t know this ingredient’ by gender, 2024
- Slimming and anti-hair loss efficacies help develop the idea of functional ingredients as having multiple benefits
- Graph 19: ingredient perceptions – cross-analysis, 2024
- Attitudes towards nutrition
- Over 50% of consumers are willing to pay extra for health-graded food and beverages…
- Graph 20: attitudes towards nutrition, 2024
- …and grading labels based on additive content are crucial for various foods and beverages
- Graph 21: attitudes towards nutrition—I am willing to spend more money on food and beverage that are scientifically graded, by nutrition attributes of various categories*, 2024
- Health grading can also be used for food and beverages for children and consumers looking to control their sugar intake
- Graph 22: attitude towards nutrition, by interest in specialised nutrition, 2024
- Products based on ‘cosmetics and food homology’ can combine anti-allergy, blood glucose and weight management selling points
- Graph 23: attitudes towards nutrition, by interest in specialised nutrition, 2024
- Incorporate exotic cultural concepts and natural ingredients into emotionally healing diets
- Graph 24: attitudes towards nutrition – cross-analysis, 2024
- Perceptions of emerging MFH ingredients
- As perceptions strengthen, the dominant effects of emerging MFH ingredients become apparent
- Graph 25: perceptions of emerging medicine food homology ingredients, 2024
- Consumers interested in nutrition knowledge relating to blood glucose and weight management are more willing to pay for Qi supplementing and dampness-dispelling functions
- There is still a long way to go in strengthening young consumers’ perceptions of emerging MFH ingredients
- Graph 26: perceptions of new MFH ingredients – “I don’t know the function that associates with the ingredient/don’t know this ingredient”, by select age group, 2024
- Expectations for digital marketing/services
- Personalised services closely linked to lifestyle help with customer acquisition…
- Graph 27: expectations for digital marketing/services, 2024
- …while combining course-based learning and fission marketing helps with customer retention and expansion
- Edutainment and companionship activities are more attractive to multi-child families
- Graph 28: select expectations for digital marketing/services, by family structure*, 2024
- Respond to ‘wellbeing’ and ‘social’ needs to appeal to those interested in specialised nutrition
- Graph 29: expectations for digital marketing/services, by select interest in specialised nutrition*, 2024
- Add value by creating ‘cosmetics and food homology’ products tailored to consumer lifestyles
- Graph 30: expectations for digital marketing/services, by attitudes towards nutrition, 2024
- AI empowers the promotion of and innovation in emerging nutritional foods
- Graph 31: expectations for digital marketing/services, by attitude towards nutrition, 2024
- Consumer personae when purchasing healthy food and beverages
- Actual product value is more important when purchasing healthy food and beverages
- Graph 32: purchasing motivations, 2024
- Actual product value is more important when purchasing healthy food and beverages
- Graph 33: purchasing motivations, 2024
- The five consumer profiles when purchasing healthy food and beverages
- Graph 34: purchasing motivations – cluster analysis, 2024
- Maximising marketing/product development effectiveness: ‘Authority Followers’ and ‘All-Round Demanders’ are key target groups…
- …and simultaneously map to other groups
- Create eye-catching online marketing campaigns centred on the wellbeing of the mind, body and spirit for Authority Followers and All-Round Demanders
- Graph 35: expectations for digital marketing/services, by consumer profile, 2024
- Graph 36: expectations for digital marketing/services, by consumer profile, 2024
- Authority Followers and All-Round Demanders both value nutrition knowledge related to immunity, digestion and weight management…
- Graph 37: interest in specialised nutrition, by consumer profile, 2024
- …and ‘cosmetics and food homology’ products
- Graph 38: attitudes towards nutrition, by consumer profile, 2024
- Authority Followers are more likely to recognise the multifunctionality of ingredients
- Graph 39: perception of ingredients – by consumer profile
- All-Round Demanders are more interested in food and beverages made from natural ingredients and that can improve mood
- Graph 40: attitudes towards nutrition, by consumer profile, 2024
- MFH food and beverages can balance efficacy and taste to attract All-Round Demanders
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Issues and insights
- Exploring the holistic ‘mind, body and spirit’ approach to health
- Due to government advocacy and the rise in sub-health issues, it is increasingly important to take a holistic approach to health
- Existing brands are creating holistic health products for the mind, body and spirit based on the concept of ‘foundational nutrition’
- Brands can combine the concepts of ‘foundational nutrition’ and ‘cosmetics and food homology’ to create products that promote being beautiful both inside and out…
- …while addressing anti-allergy, blood glucose and weight control needs can help reach consumers looking to prevent sub-health issues
- Combining the concept of ‘total wellbeing’ with down-to-earth lifestyle promotions may boost conversion rates
- MFH: leverage a lifestyle-oriented approach to promote MFH as a way to prevent and treat diseases
- MFH will see greater development as a preventive treatment
- Adopt different communication strategies based on consumer approaches to chronic disease prevention
- 1st strategy for group A: emphasise self-love as a way of connecting the preventative benefits of MFH products with the daily routine
- 2nd strategy for group A: combine emotional healing with exotic yangsheng concepts to achieve differentiation
- Brands can ride the wave of the personalised nutrition trend by developing products targeted at consumers with different constitutions to serve a broader audience
- 1st strategy for group B: make fashionable MFH products to attract beauty lovers interested in weight management
- 2nd strategy for group B: address the pain points of those managing blood glucose by developing products that make it easy to practice wellness
- Combine ‘convenience + efficacy + taste’ to create products which make it easier to follow yangsheng practices
- As categories intersect ever further, ‘easy yangsheng’ will become the next popular concept
- Opportunity 1: combine the power of nature + technology to create ‘easy yangsheng’ products targeting health-conscious consumers
- Opportunity 2: include taste as a new variable in nutrition grading to reach consumers with sub-health issues that necessitate dietary restrictions
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Appendix – methodology and abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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