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
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Overview
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Outlook
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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
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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
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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
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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
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Mental health and mental wellbeing
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
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