Introduction
Consumers understand that poor digestive health not only brings about discomfort and affects their quality of life but also heightens the risk of disease and illness. This could pose a threat to their long-term well-being. The food, beverage, and supplement industries have played a role in encouraging consumers to reassess their perceptions of gut health. From a holistic wellness standpoint, this is a concept that has resonated with consumers in the past decade. However, the decrease in the number of individuals making these connections compared to 2022 can be attributed to a shift in consumer focus away from health as the fear of illness diminishes post-pandemic.
Despite this awareness, consumers remain dissatisfied with their digestive health. They may feel that this dissatisfaction is a result of their own actions. This leads to the persistence of common symptoms that can have immediate and long-term impacts on wellness.
Digestive health and emotional wellness are interconnected
In the coming years, emotional wellness will be deemed equally important as physical well-being from a health standpoint. This is due to widespread stress and anxiety, which can affect relaxation, sleep quality, and energy levels. Additionally, consumers understand that poor emotional wellness doesn’t just impact mood. Instead, it can also increase susceptibility to disease and illness, stemming from feelings of fatigue and depletion.
While consumers acknowledge that some sources of stress and anxiety are beyond their control, such as escalating prices and the looming threat of global conflicts, they also recognize that certain aspects of poor emotional wellness can be self-inflicted. For instance, 64% of consumers acknowledge the connection between their digestive health and emotional well-being. This shows they understand that symptoms like bloating and gas can influence mood. Moreover, habits such as irregular meal times, overeating, and late-night eating not only cause these symptoms but also directly impact the ability to relax and achieve satisfactory sleep levels.
Interestingly, there has been a drop in the appeal of digestive health products
The diminishing concern about illness is directly impacting food and beverage choices. Consumers still hold positive views of products designed to support gut health, but, there has been a noticeable decline in the proportion of individuals expressing favorability towards these products compared to two years ago. This trend highlights the diminishing priority given to health and wellness. This leads consumers to be less inclined to actively seek out health-related claims when purchasing everyday groceries. Moreover, there has also been a decrease in the proportion of individuals willing to pay a premium for products positioned around gut health over the past two years.
In addition to the reduced fear of illness, there is an increased level of price sensitivity. This is as consumers strive to balance and manage rising costs in various aspects of their daily lives. As a result, consumers are still in pursuit of wellness products and remain willing to pay a premium. But they are now placing greater emphasis on evaluating the efficacy, necessity, and value for money of the products they purchase.