28th June 2021
Addressing Heart Health in 2021
Introduction
Addressing health and wellness has become one of the most important issues for consumers over the past twelve months. Consumers are now more than ever re-evaluating their health as they are more conscious about their vulnerability to disease and illness due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, what does this mean for heart health and how are consumers assessing their diets in order to lead a healthier lifestyle?
Heart Health
FMCG Gurus consumer insights show that around one-third of consumers have become more conscious about their heart health as a result of COVID-19. The research also shows that 65% of global consumers say that they plan to improve their heart health over the next twelve months. Consumers are now beginning to adopt the notion of holistic health, recognizing that all aspects of health are interlinked. This has been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers look to address their health and wellness. The desire to improve health has led to a significant increase in consumers recognizing this link. This is highlighted as 82% of global consumers in 2021 state that they recognize the link between good heart health and good overall health, a 17% increase from 2018.
One noticeable impact of COVID-19 is that health goals have shifted from being aspirational to instead, focusing on disease maintenance and reducing vulnerability to health problems. FMCG Gurus research shows that six in ten consumers have become more conscious about the importance of trying to prevent health problems from occurring over the last twelve months. There has also been an 11% increase in consumers that are now interested in products that address heart health problems even if not suffering from specific symptoms.
Consumer Diets
One way in which consumers are looking to improve their heart health is through their diets. This is highlighted as 40% of global consumers state that they have changed their diets in the last twelve months in order to improve their heart health. Food and drink positioned around heart health can be significantly appealing to consumers especially during a time where consumers are proactively seeking out health-boosting products.
FMCG Gurus insights show that 64% of global consumers say that they find food and drink products positioned around heart health appealing, whilst 47% of global consumers state that they are likely to seek out food and drink products positioned around heart health on their next shopping trip. When it comes to categories, Consumers are especially likely to say that they find heart health claims appealing in product categories associated with the breakfast table, such as milk, bread, juice/smoothies, other dairy products, and breakfast cereals.
This reflects how consumers tend to be more health-orientated earlier on in the day, highlighting the opportunity to target morning consumption occasions with functional claims and ingredients positioned around healthy ageing. As consumers become more conscious about their health, they are being more proactive towards seeking out ingredients they associate with boosting heart health. FMCG Gurus research shows that vitamin C and protein are the ingredients that consumers are most likely to say that they have heard of AND associate with aiding heart health around the globe. With consumers taking proactive steps to boost their health, the reality is that the popularity of products that carry such ingredient claims will continue to increase in the future.