Multiple years of polycrisis have caused the decline of German consumers’ mental wellbeing, however many do not perceive a need to use mental wellbeing products or services, which is the main usage barrier.
Germany Health and Wellbeing Market – Current Landscape
Mintel’s market research on managing stress and mental wellbeing in Germany shows that only a small percentage of Germans use mental wellbeing products and services. A perceived lack of need is the main barrier to usage.
Mental wellbeing brands will need to work hard to convince consumers of the value of their products and services, leveraging innovative cross-category co-operations, for example, to provide affordable products/services and multifunctional products that also claim physical benefits as part of a holistic approach to wellbeing.
Food and drink or beauty brands aiming to tap into mental wellbeing are well-placed to appreciate women as a target group. For example, initiatives like self-care challenges can help women reduce their mental load by promoting time-outs and encouraging them to prioritise their own wellbeing.
Germany Health and Wellbeing Market Statistics
- Market Research on Managing Stress and Mental Wellbeing in Germany: 76% of Germans felt stressed at least once in July 2024. Multifactorial stress – related to consumers’ personal lives, but also to societal and global issues – is prevalent among German consumers.
- How German Consumers Manage Stress and Wellbeing: 39% of Germans do exercise or other physical activities to relieve stress.
Market Research on Managing Stress and Mental Wellbeing in Germany – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in this Report
- Change in overall mental wellbeing in Germany between 2022 and 2024.
- Causes of stress and (perceived) positive effects of stress, such as higher productivity levels and resilience.
- Use of and barriers to using mental wellbeing products and services.
- How German consumers manage stress and wellbeing, including lack of drive as a result of current crises and ways to help Germans navigate a period of polycrisis.
Report Scope
This report explores behaviours and attitudes towards managing stress and mental wellbeing among German consumers. For reasons of simplification, the terms ‘mental wellbeing’ and ‘mental health’ are interchangeably used and oriented towards the definition of the WHO.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Dr. Jennifer Hendricks, Senior Analyst at Mintel. Jennifer explores consumer and market trends on diverse topics like attitudes towards everyday sustainability and lifestyles of the over-65-year-olds. During her PhD, she acquired extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative research.
In times of polycrisis, multifactorial stress is widespread among Germans. Brands can help consumers better understand the effects of stress and demonstrate the value of wellbeing products and services.
Dr. Jennifer Hendricks
Senior Analyst – Consumer Lifestyles, Germany
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Overview
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Outlook
-
Opportunities
- Put holistic wellbeing at the centre
- Continue to count on the power of holistic wellbeing claims…
- …and appreciate this as a chance to address barriers to using wellbeing products and services
- Help consumers embrace the duality of stress
- Educate consumers about the different types of stress
- Financial stress affects various areas of life
- Graph 1: impact of selected issues on consumers’ stress levels in the last month (NET), by impact of money on their stress levels (NET), 2024
- Engage in cross-category cooperations to address financial stress
- Assist consumers in navigating the wellbeing market
- Tackle wellbeing overload with comparison services
- Harness the power of AI to offer personalised guidance, particularly to younger consumers
- Support women in finding a better balance
- Inspire women to make self-care a priority
- Target younger women with dedicated stress-relief products
-
Consumer
- Change in overall mental wellbeing
- More Germans say their mental wellbeing has improved…
- … as they are learning to cope with the polycrisis
- Be aware of the gender wellbeing gap
- Younger generations’ change in mental wellbeing is misleading
- Graph 2: change in overall mental wellbeing compared to a year ago, by generation, 2024
- Frequency of health-related feelings and habits
- Positive emotions dominate, yet frequent stress is common
- Graph 3: frequency of health-related feelings experienced in the last month, 2024
- Negative emotions affect the majority of Germans
- Frequent social media usage goes along with negative emotions
- Graph 4: consumers who experienced selected health-related feelings once a week or more in the last month (NET), by frequency of social media usage (NET), 2024
- Parents of younger children are more likely to frequently experience various emotions
- Graph 5: selected health-related feelings experienced once a week or more in the last month (NET), by any children, 2024
- HelloFresh targets families with quick and easy dishes
- Feelings of stress are most prevalent among younger women
- Graph 6: consumers who felt stressed in the last month (NET), by gender and age, 2024
- Germans are embracing healthy habits, but are not pursuing absolute perfection
- Graph 7: frequency of health-related habits done in the last month, 2024
- Older Germans are less likely to report unhealthy eating habits
- Graph 8: frequency of eating unhealthy meals/snacks in the last month (NET), by age, 2024
- Causes of stress
- Money and health are the main causes of stress
- Graph 9: causes of stress, 2024
- Multifactorial stress is prevalent, especially among younger Germans
- Graph 10: repertoire of issues with any negative impact on consumers’ stress levels in the last month, 2024
- A sweet spot for fitness brands
- Urban Sports Club: wellbeing starts here
- Offer support with budget planning to promote financial wellbeing
- Graph 11: consumers who say that money negatively impacted their stress levels in the last month, by financial situation, 2024
- Women feel stressed about their appearance
- Positive effects of stress
- Germans have mixed feelings about the positive effects of stress
- Graph 12: positive effects of stress felt in the last month, 2024
- Younger Germans are more likely to embrace stress….
- Graph 13: perceived positive effects of stress in the last month (top five), by age, 2024
- …but a healthy balance is key
- Help parents leverage the potential of positive stress
- Graph 14: selected positive effects of stress in the last month, by parental status, 2024
- Usage of and barriers to using mental wellbeing products and services
- Consumers show limited acceptance of mental wellbeing products and services
- Graph 15: use of any mental wellbeing services in the last 12 months, 2024
- Graph 16: use of any mental wellbeing products in the last 12 months, 2024
- Appreciate the young as a key target group
- A perceived lack of need is the main barrier to using mental wellbeing products and services
- Graph 17: barriers to using mental wellbeing products and services, 2024
- Mental wellbeing support is a question of budget…
- Graph 18: selected barriers to using mental wellbeing services (top two), by financial situation, 2024
- Graph 19: selected barriers to using mental wellbeing products (top two), by financial situation, 2024
- …calling for initiatives promoting mental health care for all
- Rely on multifunctionality to alleviate price concerns
- Users of wellbeing products and services feel overwhelmed by the number of available options
- Graph 20: consumers who find the amount of mental wellbeing products/services available overwhelming, by use of mental wellbeing products and services (NET), 2024
- Behaviours towards managing stress and mental wellbeing
- Perception of bad mood in Germany stands out
- Graph 21: wellbeing-related behaviours, 2024
- Help Germans appreciate the little things in life
- ALDI celebrates special everyday moments
- AI therapy can help younger Germans overcome their lack of drive
-
Innovation
- Healthcare
- Functional stress and sleep claims in healthcare NPD have increased over the last five years
- Graph 22: healthcare launches featuring stress and sleep claims, 2019-24
- Examples of NPD in vitamins & dietary supplements claiming multifunctional benefits
- Food & drink
- Get inspired by international examples capitalising on anti-stress and mental wellbeing claims
- Beauty & personal care products
- Help consumers feel better in both body and mind with mood-boosting formulations
- Household care products
- Help Germans relieve stress while doing household chores
-
market Drivers
- Cost of living and financial wellbeing
- Inflation has eased, but consumers do not yet feel the relief
- Consumers’ financial wellbeing has not yet reached pre-crisis levels
- Graph 23: financial situation, 2022-24
- Polycrisis
- Germans are navigating a time of polycrisis
- Public health
- Germans’ health is being challenged amid multiple crises
- Graph 24: perception of general health for a person of one’s age, 2021-24
- Mental illness is a crucial economic factor
- The mind-body connection
- Digital health
- High device ownership impacts the wellbeing market in Germany
- Graph 25: devices personally owned, 2024
- Potential of AI in mental health therapy
-
APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Mental health and mental wellbeing
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
- Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
- Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
- Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
- Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.
What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
The Four Pillars of Our Research
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
- Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
- Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
- Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
- Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.
Bringing It All Together
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
£ 2,195 (Excl.Tax)
-
Download today with instant access
Pay via credit card or invoice (net 30 payment terms)
-
Multiple formats provided
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
-
Interactive databook included
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook available on our platform
-
Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports
Discount automatically applied in basket
Need help before you buy?
Our research specialists can answer your questions and recommend the reports that best match your business needs.
Contact usTrusted by global industry leaders
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.
Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.
Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, VML
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.
However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.
Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus
Need help before you buy?
Our research specialists can answer your questions and recommend the reports that best match your business needs.
Contact us
