Immunity

Table of Contents

Overview

• How immunity became one of the hottest trends in healthcare
• The shift from prevention to treatment
• The existing CHC market for immunity
• Assessing the size of the immunity market
• A major flu revival imminent?

Consumer attitudes to immunity

• Prevention a growing priority
• Surveys reveal consumer insights
• Recap of key survey findings

Immune supplements

• Thriving category sees record 2020 sales
• Further bolstered by dramatic upturn in launch activity
• Leading brands grew rapidly across the board
• USA driven by high launch activity and A+P investment
• Airborne consolidates its No.1 US ranking
• Elderberry-based Sambucol continues formidable rise
• Indonesia benefits from launches and educational A+P
• Italy boosted by NPD as pandemic stimulates demand
• Germany sees limited gains, then signs of downturn
• Russia sees huge pandemic-led jump in 2020 sales
• Canada experiences strong demand for echinacea
• Poland growth sluggish as consumers seek alternatives
• Mexico benefits from strong showing for Aderogyl
• France sales flat as consumers look to vitamin D
• Australia sees high demand prompt launch activity
• Brazil sees new market spring up in shadow of Covid
• Few new ingredient launches to expand the category
• Previous dynamism unsustainable but sales remain high

Vitamin C

• Covid-19 pandemic brings big rise in immunity sales
• Immunity links well established, but is it beneficial for Covid-19?
• Standalone vitamin C brands Emergen-C and Redoxon lead globally
• Covid-19 sees US sales break $1bn
• Emergen-C established as the US vitamin C brand for immunity
• Demand for vitamin C in China rises over immunity concerns
• Sales almost double in Brazil as consumers seek immune protection
• Redoxon boosted by "triple action" claims
• High levels of immunity-focused A+P in Poland
• Immunity concerns provide big sales boost in Germany
• Launches and A+P in Australia as marketers seek to meet demand
• Sales rocket in Italy thanks to pandemic demand
• Beauty with immunity to be an expanding niche?
• High vitamin C sales brought about by pandemic demand here to stay?

Vitamin D

• Global sales spike in 2020
• Studies into immune benefits of vitamin D accelerating
• Longline ranges dominate global immunity vitamin D rankings
• US vitamin D sales rocket in 2020 thanks to immunity link
• AquaDetrim and Detrimax dominate Russia via high-profile A+P
• Covid-19 pandemic boosts struggling Canadian vitamin D market
• Italy a star performer in immunity vitamin D
• Vitabiotics capitalises on immunity trend in UK during pandemic
• Growing competition in France's immunity vitamin D market
• Consumer concerns over immunity inspire high-profile A+P in Brazil
• Segment has strong potential globally; underdeveloped in Asia-Pacific

Zinc

• Global sales spike in 2020
• Longline ranges dominate global immunity zinc rankings
• USA sees sales rocket in 2020 thanks to immunity link
• Zicam acquisition paves way for potential future NPD
• Germany's zinc sales boosted by high-dosage formats
• In Japan zinc's immunity benefits compete alongside beauty and energy
• Brazil benefits from high awareness for zinc supplementation in children
• In Russia longline range Solgar dominates sales
• Raised awareness of zinc's immunity properties drives future sales

Probiotics

• Immunity a bright spot in a slowing category
• Probiotics for immunity
• USA probiotics driven by food & drink launches
• China's probiotics category dominated by infant health
• Australian immune probiotics dominated by longline brands
• Immunity probiotics grew in France ahead of declining topline
• Opportunities exist in Germany's probiotics market
• Marketers showing growing interest in Poland's immunity segment
• Mixed performances in Italy's immunity segment
• India an emerging force in probiotics
• South Korea seeing high levels of probiotics NPD
• High levels of NPD expanding segment into new markets
• Outlook is bright for immunity segment

Multivitamins

• Greater consumer focus on wellness and protection boosts sales
• Sales see big leap in USA (while China growth steady)
• High zinc content key in India
• High level of immune-focused A+P in Brazil
• UK sees strong growth, while daigou downturn affects Australia
• Varying performances in Russia, Germany and France
• Centrum expanding into immune health
• Immune-focused products forecast to maintain highs

OTC tonic drinks

• Immunity a new niche in historically static category
• Japanese marketers look to new niches
• Overseas presence limited but expanding
• Immunity may have only limited long term impact on topline

Chyawanprash

• Covid-19 drove demand, leading to record 2020 category sales
• Dabur comprehensive immunity range the biggest winner
• Covid-19 claim and adjusted strategy boosted sales for Dabur
• Key findings of Dabur Chyawanprash Covid-19 clinical study
• Baidyamath's comprehensive formulation a key selling point
• Zandu focuses on sugar-free remedies to boost sales

Antivirals

• Brands benefit from Covid-driven move towards prevention
• Russian cold & flu market features several antivirals
• Arbidol revived by Covid trends, although claims scrutinised
• Poland's inosine pranobex segment sees growth and activity
• Limited availability in other markets
• Limited NPD includes new antiviral nasal sprays

Oral & nasal sanitisers

• Vicks First Defence most established brand
• ColdZyme expanding internationally
• Otrivin Breathe Clean expands segment
• Roundup of other launches

CCA brands targeting immunity

• Sore throat remedies adding vitamin C
• Natural & traditional remedies benefit
• Natural cough remedies targeting immunity
• Zarbee's targets immune health

Antiseptics & disinfectants

• Immunity-adjacent category grows rapidly
• Safety a focus for US FDA
• Leading brands growing rapidly across the board
• Spotlight on USA
• Spotlight on China
• Spotlight on India
• Spotlight on France
• Spotlight on Japan
• Dettol builds strong reputation during pandemic
• Germ-X benefits from simple USP
• Changing habits will drive sustained sales

Foods & beverages

• Brands for immunity seeing rapid expansion

Inner defence

• Supplement marketers moving into new niches
• Plant People: Innovative VMS marketer making strides in immunity
• Launches expand immune supplement positionings

CBD for immunity

• Marketers looking to capitalise on CBD's popularity

Immunity for active consumers

• A new niche for immunity
• Fast&Up: Indian sports nutrition specialist competes in immunity
• Vega: Sports supplement player expands into "Immune support nutrition"
• Looking forward

Personalised immunity

• Is personalisation "the next frontier" in immunity?
• Nestlé a key player via Persona acquisition
• DSM launches vitamin D brand with digital support
• Bayer invests in personalised VMS and immune testing
• Nourished offers personalised gummy stacks
• Amway works with HEM on personalised probiotics
• Thorne premium VMS line moves into testing
• Viome offers custom-made VMS based on samples

Regimen

• Underdeveloped concept with potential in immunity
• Ultra Immune a pioneer in immunity regimen
• A variation on the concept: combination SKU launches on the rise

Direct selling

• MLM sales channel offers consumers the personal touch
• Leading MLM brands globally posting strong growth

• Nutrilite
  • Solid market leader with long market presence
  • New launches in the immunity space
  • Product bundles & discounts help drive immunity sales

• Herbalife Nutrition
  • R&D investment drives growth for brand
  • Use of branded ingredient Epicor offers edge
  • All-round immunity health solutions bundle

• USANA
  • Young company focused on cellular nutrition
  • InCelligence Complex offers unique selling point over rival brands
  • Immunity health range justifies premium pricing with unique blends

• Immune health launches in MLM beyond the top players

Outlook

• How sustainable is the rise in products for immunity?
• VMS immunity market to flatten in short term before rallying
• Four concluding thoughts on the future of immunity