In India, gut health is deeply intertwined with a healthy lifestyle. As consumers become more health-conscious, they are increasingly aware of the crucial role gut health plays in overall wellbeing.
While Indians have traditionally valued gut health, it is critical to understand their daily practices to develop effective innovation strategies. This Report explores how Indian consumers manage their gut health, offering tailored innovation ideas that align with their existing habits. It also identifies the key health benefits consumers associate with a healthy gut.
As the market for pro- and prebiotics grows in India, a key question emerges: do consumers truly understand these terms? We analyse this opportunity, drawing lessons from mature markets like China to guide future strategies.
Furthermore, recognising that each individual’s gut microbiome is as unique as their DNA presents a significant opportunity for personalisation. This Report outlines strategies that can help even mainstream brands deliver personalised gut health solutions to Indian consumers.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Activities prioritised for leading a healthy lifestyle
- Actions undertaken to maintain or improve gut/digestive health
- Consumers’ association of a healthy gut/digestive system with specific health benefits
- Attitudes towards personalised gut health management
Accelerate gut health adoption by embedding it into everyday choices. Improve literacy around probiotics/prebiotics and innovate to align with diverse health needs.
Tulsi Joshi, Principal Food & Drink Market Research Analyst, India
Market Definitions
This report explores behaviour and attitudes towards managing gut health among Indian consumers.
Gut health products refer to packaged food, drinks and dietary VMS, which makes functional – digestive, high/added fibre, probiotic or prebiotic claims. It excludes alcoholic beverages.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- The outlook for gut health management in India’s food & drink category
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Overview
- Consumers approach health holistically, with macronutrients becoming an integral part of healthy living
- Graph 1: activities prioritised for leading a healthy lifestyle, 2025
- Indians are adopting protein earlier than fibre in their health journey
- Graph 2: select repertoire of activities undertaken to lead a healthy lifestyle, 2025
- Protein reigns, but fibre follows a similar trajectory
- Graph 3: food & drink launches with select claims, 2016-25
- Graph 4: universe of posts with select search terms on social media channels, 2022-25
- Gut health will be the new nutritional armour, thanks to protein
- Graph 5: recent launch prevalence (current share of the market) and forecast (projection in two years time) in food & drink, by select claims, 2024-27
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HELP CONSUMERS TAKE CARE OF THEIR DIGESTIVE HEALTH
- People want better gut health, but lean on broad lifestyle hacks, not specialised solutions
- Graph 6: actions undertaken to maintain or improve gut/digestive health, 2025
- Now: strengthen hydration formats with gut-supportive ingredients consumers already trust
- Now: prebiotic sodas are emerging in India
- Huge prebiotic soda boom in the US
- Now: reduced sugar strengthens credibility for gut-linked products
- Graph 7: launches with low/reduced sugar claims in food & drink with gut health claims, 2020-25
- Protein dominates digestion talk; protein + fibre combo is emerging as a new health strategy
- Graph 8: launches with high/added protein AND high/added fibre claims in food & drink, 2020-25
- Now: power up digestive benefits in protein-packed food & drink
- Next: create active lifestyle products that blend hydration, performance and gut comfort in a convenient format
- Now:Â offer gut-friendly innovations in multipacks for smaller, frequent meals
- Now: design gut-friendly flavour profiles – dial down heat and incorporate familiar spices linked to digestive comfort
- Mintel Spark imagines juice shots for gut health for busy Active Lifestylers
- Expanding the gut health market in India: what’s holding consumers back and how to fix it
- Now: expand market with gut-linked innovations
- Graph 9: key health benefits associated with healthy gut/digestive system, 2025
- Show the gut’s role in delivering tangible, measureable health outcomes
- Tailor gut-linked innovations to diverse demographic health needs
- Next: gut health’s link to weight loss will gain traction
- Future: diverse fibre types, diverse health benefits
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THE PREBIOTIC AND PROBIOTIC OPPORTUNITY
- Pre- and probiotics claims are rising in Indian launches, with VMS taking the lead
- Graph 10: launches with prebiotic claim, by select super categories, 2020-25
- Graph 11: launches with probiotic claim, by select super categories, 2020-25
- Pre- and probiotic launches are increasing
- The pre- and probiotic paradox: market gains momentum, but consumers are in a state of confusion
- Strategies to expand the pre- and probiotics market in India: lessons from around the world
- Now: demystify pre- and probiotics to expand market reach
- Now: shift the narrative from purely scientific to lifestyle-oriented messaging
- Now: educate with engaging content
- Now: make pre- and probiotic communication immersive and visually engaging
- Now: create localised offerings
- Now: push clean label and ingredient transparency for pre- and probiotic innovations
- Mintel Spark ignites inspiration with prebiotic and probiotic marketing ideas
- Next: postbiotics and synbiotics will emerge
- Future: ‘probiotics+’ innovations will address preventive healthcare and beauty demand
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EVERY GUT WORKS DIFFERENTLY – GUT HEALTH SOLUTIONS SHOULD TOO
- Time to move from generic to specific: target gut health supplement consumers with personalised solutions
- No two guts are alike: gut diversity is an untapped opportunity
- Now: drive education on gut microbiome diversity
- Now: personalise gut health solutions around real-life dietary patterns, Ayurvedic body types and women’s lifestage needs
- Now: personalise gut health solutions around real-life dietary patterns, Ayurvedic body types and women’s life stage needs
- Now: offer gut health solutions for vitamin D and B12 deficiency
- Next: upcoming innovations addressing vitamin D and B12 deficiency with gut health support
- Next: build formulations rooted in actual microbial needs beyond just general ‘gut health’
- Future: precision formulations will lead the next wave of innovations in gut health advancements
- Key takeaways
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APPENDIX
- Report definition
- Consumer survey methodology
- Repertoire analysis
- Social data research methodology
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