IDM ¦ Column
Probiotic claims of high
appeal in the dairy sector
Consumers are looking to improve
their health and wellness.
This is being driven by
consumers having aspirational
views towards long-term
health maintenance whilst at the same
time, being conscious about the lingering
risk of COVID-19. Functional claims that
offer a nutritional boost are of high appeal
to consumers. This is resulting in the
growing popularity of probiotic products,
as consumers look to boost their immunity
and digestive health – especially as they
deem the two to be interlinked. Probiotics
are especially popular within the dairy
sector, especially as consumers deem
dairy products to be everyday food and
drink that they know and trust, associate
with being healthy, and believe easy to incorporate
into daily diets. The promotion
of probiotics within the dairy sector is also
something that can help overcome any
negative health perceptions associated
with the sector.
Across the globe, probiotic claims are
growing in popularity. This can be attributed
to several factors. From a consumer
perspective, people are becoming more
aware of probiotics and the related benefits.
Additionally, consumers are also
now accepting that products that are actively
positioned around beneficial bacteria
content can also offer sensory appeal.
Whilst consumers may continue to lack
awareness of certain types of probiotics
and strains, as well as CFU counts, they
do believe that such products can help
contribute to a healthy diet and lifestyle.
This is something that is especially important
in a pandemic environment and
it is worth noting that in FMCG Gurus
COVID-19 survey series in 2020, 75% of
global consumers say that they associated
probiotics with boosting immune health.
59% buy probiotics
FMCG Gurus research in 2020 found
that 59% of consumers said that they
had purchased probiotics, either in food
and drink or supplement form, over the
last twelve months. This was a noticeable
increase compared to the 51% who said
this in 2018. This shows that a growing
proportion of consumers are seeing out
health boosting claims. It also shows that
the probiotic market is relatively resilient
to price sensitivity, with purchasing continue
8 · March/April 2021 ¦ international-dairy.com
to be more common despite 53% of
consumers saying that they are currently
trying to reduce their spend on food and
drink due to recession. Of those consumers
who purchase probiotics, yogurt in a
cup (59%) and yogurt drinks (47%) are
the most popular types of products purchased.
A total of 27% of these consumers
also said that they purchased probiotics
in kefir form.
Over recent years, there have been
mixed views on the healthiness of dairy
products. On one hand, such products are
associated with being high in ingredients
such as protein and calcium. However on
the other hand, such products are also associated
with being high in dietary evils
such as fat and sugar. Irrespective of any
negative press the sector has received in
recent years, the popularity of probiotic
claims means that consumers believe that
dairy can help contribute to a healthy
diet and lifestyle. When asked what type
of probiotic product consumers prefer,
79% say that they prefer food and drink
to supplements and of these consumers,
66% cited taste as the main reason. This
is something that is especially important
for the dairy market. Indeed, despite efforts
to try and improve health and diet
over the years, the prevalence of lifestylerelated
health problems continues to rise
across society. This means that for many,
attempts to lead a healthier lifestyle are
not successful. This is because better-foryou
products are often associated with
compromise. The appeal of functional
claims in categories such as yogurt will
appeal to consumers because they are
seen as tasty, everyday products that are
easy to incorporate into daily diets. This
will be of high importance to the 79% of
consumers who say that they are planning
to eat and drink more healthily in the
wake of COVID-19.
When asked why they turn to probiotics,
consumers are most likely to say to
boost the immune system (65%), whilst
63% say to aid digestive health. These will
be important claims that will appeal to consumers
within the dairy sector, especially as
consumers become more conscious about
both these issues.
As a result of COVID-19, consumers
have become less conscious about their
immune health. For instance in 2020,
a total of 49% of consumers said that
they were satisfied with their immune
health compared to 54% who had said
this a year before. Meanwhile, 60% said
that they have become more conscious
about their immune health as a result of
the pandemic. This shows that concerns
about vulnerability to disease and illness
are widespread amongst society overall,
especially if they feel they are currently
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