With 65% of Germans struggling to either fall asleep, stay asleep or both, sleep issues in Germany remain widespread, presenting ongoing growth opportunities for OTC brands.
While tea is the most popular sleep aid among Germans, with 17% of German consumers having used teas for relaxation/better sleep, usage of OTC sleep aids in tablet/capsule formats falls somewhat behind, at 12%. However, usage of tea and other more niche formats like aromatherapy products or anti-snoring aids offer OTC sleep brands a way to extend their product portfolios beyond traditional OTC sleep aids. This gives them the opportunity to become a one-stop solution for consumers relying on different formats.
As German consumers most dissatisfied with their sleep are most likely to be actively working on improving their sleep, ‘bad sleepers’ represent a key target group for brands to focus on. For example, night workers are particularly likely to struggle with short sleep and circadian rhythm disruption. Brands can also cater to women, who face difficulties both falling asleep and staying asleep, by offering slow release formulations. Targeting menopause, menstruation-related challenges and stress relief will resonate with key drivers of poor sleep in women.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Sleep satisfaction, duration and struggles
- Usage and usage frequency of sleep aids (including OTC sleep aids, aromatherapy products and teas for sleep/relaxation)
- Experience with and interest in OTC sleep aid ingredients
- Behaviours towards sleep and sleep aids (eg influence of stress on sleep quality)
- Barriers to OTC sleep aid use
- Overview of current market performance, market drivers and outlook for the next five years
As sleep struggles persist, targeting Germany’s ‘bad sleepers’ (eg women) and expanding into sensory formats present valuable growth opportunities for OTC brands.
Dr. Max Bruening, Research Analyst Health & Wellbeing, Germany
Market Definitions
This Report covers OTC medications formulated and marketed specifically for inducing sleep. Note that some herbal and homeopathic products that are either specifically marketed as sleep aids or are typically sold along with sleep aids in mainstream retail outlets are also included in this category. However, the full range of supplements that might be used as sleep aids are not covered in the market size. Prescription sleep aids are discussed in this Report but are not covered in the market size.
For the purpose of this report, supplements containing melatonin have been grouped together with OTC sleep aids.
The market size in this Report covers sedatives, sleep aids and mood enhancing remedies. It excludes all other OTC products and those which require prescriptions but includes pharmacy approved. Supplements are excluded unless they are combined with sedatives, sleep aids and mood enhancing remedies and these form a main selling point. Market size comprises sales through all retail channels including direct to consumer.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Market size and forecast
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Promote energised days through restful nights
- From lights out to standout – link better sleep to higher productivity
- Showcase the daytime productivity benefits of good sleep
- Credible performance benefits through athlete endorsements
- Target Germany’s ‘bad sleepers’
- Appeal to women with solutions for stress relief and hormonal balance
- Help night workers manage circadian rhythm disruption
- McDonald’s celebrates after-hours dedication
- Extend product portfolio with sensory experiences
- Broaden horizons: embrace the power of calming teas
- Spray away consumers’ stress
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CONSUMER
- Sleep satisfaction, duration and struggles
- Germans’ sleep woes create ample opportunity for sleep aid products
- Sleep satisfaction remains steady
- Graph 1: sleep satisfaction, 2023 vs 2025
- A continued need for longer sleep
- Graph 2: average sleep duration, 2023 vs 2025
- About two thirds of Germans struggle with sleep
- Graph 3: struggles with sleep, 2023 vs 2025
- Sleep dissatisfaction fuels improvement efforts
- The gender gap in sleep quality and daytime fatigue
- Relate to night workers’ struggles
- Usage of sleep aids and frequency of use
- Teas and OTC sleep aids are most popular
- Graph 4: usage of sleep aids, 2025
- Sleep dissatisfaction drives usage of sleep aids
- Graph 5: usage of sleep aids, by sleep satisfaction (NET), 2025
- Target younger consumers’ penchant for tea
- Graph 6: preference for sleep aids in tea formats over tablet/capsule formats, by age, 2025
- Aromatherapy: tap into cross-category collaborations
- Aromatherapy that relieves stress and increases productivity the next day
- Harness a premium positioning for aromatherapy
- Graph 7: usage of aromatherapy to aid sleep, by financial situation, 2025
- The potential of becoming consumers’ one-stop shop
- Frequency of sleep aid usage varies among Germans
- Be there for consumers when they need sleep aid
- While usage frequency increases with age…
- Graph 8: frequency of sleep aid usage, by age, 2025
- …usage likelihood decreases with age
- Graph 9: usage of sleep aids, by age, 2025
- Usage of and interest in sleep aid ingredients
- Magnesium and melatonin are the most popular ingredients among sleep aid users
- Graph 10: usage of and interest in sleep aid ingredients among sleep aid users, 2025
- Boost melatonin’s appeal with botanical formulations
- Less common ingredients appeal to younger consumers’ taste for experimentation
- Graph 11: usage of selected active ingredients, by age, 2025
- Non-users of sleep aids dislike melatonin
- Graph 12: interest in sleep aid ingredients among non-users, 2025
- Barriers to OTC sleep aid usage
- The key barrier to OTC sleep aid use: the belief they are not needed
- Graph 13: barriers to OTC sleep aid usage among non-users, 2025
- Dissatisfied sleepers worry most about reliance
- Graph 14: barriers to usage of OTC sleep aids, by sleep satisfaction (NET)*, 2025
- Ease worries about reliance on OTC sleep aids
- Behaviours towards sleep aids
- Maintain a strong online presence to attract young OTC sleep aid users
- Keep consumers engaged with options beyond OTC sleep aids
- Effective OTC sleep aids, but drowsy mornings
- Graph 15: perception of OTC sleep aids among OTC users, 2025
- Combat tiredness…
- Graph 16: consumers often feeling tired during the day, by sleep satisfaction (NET), 2025
- … and point out the productivity benefits of a good night’s rest
- Stress disrupts sleep more than late night activities
- Graph 17: sleep disturbers, 2025
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INNOVATION
- Growth in NPD for sleep aids
- Graph 18: NPD in sleep aids as a percentage of total health NPD, by year, 2020-25
- Graph 19: healthcare NPD, by sub-category, 2020-25
- New varieties and new products dominate NPD in sleep aids
- Graph 20: NPD in sleep aids, by launch type, 2020-25
- Flavours extend product ranges
- NPD potential in more niche formats
- Graph 21: % of NPD in sleep aids, by format type, 2020-25
- Combine innovative formats and claims
- Delivering multiple selling points per product
- Graph 22: NPD in sleep aids, by top 10 claims*, 2020-25
- Functional claims can serve demand for holistic health
- Graph 23: functional claims* in sleep aid NPD, 2020-25
- Helping consumers wake up energised
- Go beyond sleep: tap into multifunctional positioning
- Innovations in sleep technology
- Samsung’s campaign ‘Prepare for more morning people’
- Tech can serve the desire for holistic health
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MARKET
- Market drivers
- An ageing population brings fewer but more frequent users of OTC sleep aids
- Monitor health and lifestyle trends to anticipate impacts on sleep aid demand
- German consumers prioritise holistic health
- The double-edged impact of evolving technology
- Market size
- Sales of OTC sleep aids continued to grow
- Graph 24: retail value sales of sedative, sleep aid and mood-enhancing OTC medication, (€ m), 2019-24
- Persistent sleep challenges drive sales of OTC sleep aids
- Market forecast
- Forecast – note on US trade disruption
- The impact of US trade disruption on the OTC sleep health market
- Strong but eventually slowing growth for OTC sleep aids in the long term
- Graph 25: retail value sales of sedative, sleep aid and mood-enhancing OTC medication, 2019-30
- Continued short-term growth
- Slower growth expected mid-to-long-term
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- Methodology – market size and forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
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