More than one-third (34%) of US nutritional consumers―defined as those taking vitamins, minerals and/or supplements—say they are taking more now than they did before COVID-19, while more than one-quarter (27%) of Canadian nutritional consumers say so, according to The TricorBraun “Nutritional Purchasing Since COVID-19” Survey, a new survey commissioned by global packaging leader TricorBraun and conducted online by The Harris Poll.
“COVID has intensified consumers’ focus on their health, and as a result, consumption is up,” said Becky Donner, senior vice president, Marketing, Design & Engineering at TricorBraun. “Behavior shifts due to COVID indicate that consumers are unwilling to take health risks, which means it’s likely we’ll continue to see increased consumption of vitamins, minerals, and supplements as a preventive measure. As the category continues to grow, it’s more important than ever that nutritional brands stand out, including through packaging design that is also e-commerce-friendly.”
The TricorBraun “Nutritional Purchasing Since COVID-19” Survey polled more than 1,600 purchasers of vitamins, minerals and/or supplements in the US since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and more than 800 nutritional purchasers since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. The survey was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on nutritional consumers’ buying behaviours and trends, as well as their packaging preferences.
Consumption Up Across Ages Since COVID-19
TricorBraun’s survey found that among US nutritional consumers, 45 percent. ages 45 – 54 are taking nutritional products more since COVID-19, while 39 percent of those ages 35 – 44 do so, and 34 percent of those ages 18 – 34 do so. US nutritional consumers ages 55+ (26%) also say they take more vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements since COVID-19.
Among nutritional consumers in Canada, 37 percent of adults ages 35 – 44 are taking nutritional products more since COVID-19, while 36 percent of those ages 18 – 34 do. Thirty percent of Canadian nutritional consumers ages 45 – 54 say they take much more or somewhat more vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements, while 17% of those aged 55+ do.
| US: Taking More Nutritional Products Since COVID-19 | Canada: Taking More Nutritional Products Since COVID-19 | |
| Ages 18 – 34 | 34% | 36% |
| Ages 35 – 44 | 39% | 37% |
| Ages 45 – 54 | 45% | 30% |
| Ages 55+ | 26% | 17% |
The TricorBraun “Nutritional Purchasing Since COVID-19” Survey, conducted by The Harris Poll
Top Reasons for Purchasing Nutritional Products Since COVID-19
Among US consumers who purchased vitamins, minerals and/or supplements since the onset of COVID-19, top reasons for doing so include supporting immunity (52%), balancing daily nutrition (48%), and preventing new health conditions/illnesses (32%). Results are similar among Canadian purchasers: to support immunity (55%), to balance daily nutrition (43%) and to prevent new health conditions/illnesses (32%).
According to TricorBraun’s survey, among those US consumers who purchased nutritional products since the onset of COVID-19, women are more likely than men to say they have purchased vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements to support immunity (58% vs. 46%) and bone health (31% vs 25%). Meanwhile, men are more likely than women to have purchased vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements to improve memory (20% vs.12%) and for sports nutrition (17% vs. 6%).
Among Canadian consumers who purchased nutritional products since the onset of COVID-19, women are more likely than men to say they have purchased vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements to support immunity (60% vs. 50%) and bone health (38% vs. 23%). Men are more than three times as likely as women to have purchased vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements for sports nutrition (15% vs. 4%).
Online Versus In-Store
According to TricorBraun’s survey, among those who purchased nutritional products before COVID-19 in the US, 36 percent say they changed where they primarily purchase vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements, with one in four (25%) saying they primarily shopped in-store for these products before the pandemic, but now primarily shop online, and 11 percent saying they primarily shopped online before and now primarily shop in-store.
In Canada, 25% of those who purchased nutritional products before COVID-19 say they changed where they primarily purchase vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements, with 18% saying they primarily shopped in-store for these products pre-pandemic but now primarily shop online, and seven percent saying they primarily shopped online before and now primarily shop in-store.
| US | Canada | |
| Primarily Shopped In-Store Pre-Pandemic, Now Shop Online | 25% | 18% |
| Primarily Shopped Online Pre-Pandemic, Now Shop In-Store | 11% | 7% |
The TricorBraun “Nutritional Purchasing Since COVID-19” Survey, conducted by The Harris Poll
“From well-known nutritional companies to emerging online brands, COVID propelled the growth of nutritional products sold via e-commerce,” said Donner. “The pandemic changed how many consumers shop, and that impacts how consumer packaged goods and nutritional manufacturers should consider packaging their products. An e-commerce packaging strategy, in addition to an in-store packaging strategy, is critical. Simply repurposing packaging from the shelf for e-commerce presents several risks, including the high potential for shipping damaged product, resulting in a negative consumer experience.”
Sustainable Packaging Re-Emerges
TricorBraun’s survey shows that for nearly 70% of US nutritional consumers, sustainable[1] packaging is neither more nor less important, less important, or was never important to them since the pandemic onset; in Canada, 74% say so. Meanwhile, nearly one-third (30%) of US consumers purchasing vitamins, minerals and/or supplements say when purchasing these products, sustainable packaging is more important to them since the onset of COVID-19, while 25 percent of Canadians say sustainable packaging is more important since the pandemic.
“When COVID hit, sustainable packaging took a back seat to safety,” said Donner. “As consumers’ reliance on e-commerce and delivery continues, however, they are very conscious of their purchasing impacts on the environment, and we see that awareness growing among nutritional consumers. Sustainable packaging is re-emerging as a need versus a nice-to-have.”
Sustainable Packaging More Important to Younger Consumers
According to the survey, US consumers who have purchased vitamins, minerals and/or supplements since the onset of COVID-19 those ages 18 – 54 (35%) are more likely than those ages 55+ (20%) to say sustainable packaging is more important to them when purchasing vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements since the pandemic onset. The survey shows similar results in Canada: those ages 18 – 34 (34%) are more likely than those ages 45+ (20%) to say sustainable packaging is more important to them when purchasing vitamins, minerals, and/or supplements since COVID-19.
About the Survey
This survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of TricorBraun between December 8-11, 2020, among adults ages 18+ in the U.S. (n=2,028, of whom 1,679 have purchased vitamins, minerals and/or supplements since the onset of COVID-19) and in Canada (n=1,066, of whom 801 have purchased vitamins, minerals and/or supplements since the onset of COVID-19). This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
