In the preamble to their newly released “Report on Ethical Nutrition,” BCC Research defines “Ethical Nutrition” as “the practice of providing the proper nutrients to a wide range of individuals, including infants, children, adults, and individuals with illnesses and injuries.”
They go on to say: The global ethical nutrition market is divided into three very distinct categories:
- infant formula market
- enteral formula market
- parenteral formula market
Aha! Since the term “ethical nutrition” is neither a widely known nor often used bit of health category jargon, you may well wonder where the term comes from and what it actually means. The inclusion of parenteral formulas – which can encompass both intravenous and force feeding brings the “ethical” aspect into the equation because it raises the whole question of how long you keep (or when you stop) feeding unresponsive patients – especially in cases of terminal illness. How that applies to infants and regular adult formulas is anybody’s guess, but it is enough to know that in this particular study, “Ethical Nutrition” refers to the full range of infant and adult clinical nutrition supplements.
As a retailer, it’s good to know that the field is expected to boom. BCC Research says, “In 2014, the market reached $37.1 billion at manufacturers’ sales levels. The developing number of elderly and critically ill, along with a shift toward home care and increasing inroads into developing countries has continued to fuel growth. By 2019, it is anticipated that revenues will likely reach $58.2 billion, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4%. The infant formula segment will account for approximately 54.5% of total revenues by 2019.
Says BCC Research analyst Mary Anne Crandall. “The impact of managed care and demand for cost-effective healthcare dramatically has changed the structure of this market and has altered significantly the strategies that companies use to survive and succeed.”
A 2005 article in Practical Gastroenterology said there were well over 100 enteral formulas available at that time and the market has blossomed and grown dramatically since then. Specialized formulas are designed for a variety of clinical conditions or disease states. There are over thirty-five specialized formulas currently on the market. But having said that, there is only a handful of major manufacturers, led by Abbott Nutrition’s Ross Product Division (makers of Similac, Ensure and Glucerna), Nestlé Health Science (makers of Nutren Junior Infant Formula, Boost High Calorie Supplements and Vivonex) along with Mead Johnson and Norvartis.
