Dietary Supplements in Hungary

PROSPECTS

General growth and consumer popularity

Dietary supplements increased much faster than vitamins in Hungary over the review period, and saw much more innovation in terms of ingredients and formats. Although such products should be used primarily for prevention and support, many consumers also use them to treat acute health problems.

Safety and legislation

The distribution of dietary supplements in Hungary does not fall under the same regulation as OTC products or Rx medicines, since there is only a notification process required from manufacturers or distributors. Ideally, there would be a central searchable database not only for OTC products, but also for dietary supplements.

Personalised self-medication

Hungarian consumers prefer to consume combinations of dietary supplements rather than a specific supplement type, whilst they also often follow professionals’ advice when it comes to solving a specific problem. During the forecast period, Hungary’s leading manufacturers of dietary supplements are expected to expand their already well-known product lines with new combinations, which are likely to be advertised for preventing and managing specific health problems more effectively.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Fragmented category with stable leaders

Dietary supplements is highly fragmented in Hungary, which is demonstrated by the high share held by “others” – this share is expected to increase further in the forecast period. However, Béres Gyógyszergyár and Sanofi-Aventis managed to maintain their leading positions in dietary supplements in 2018.

Joint and musculoskeletal issues

Based on current legislation, the category “food for special medical purposes” in Hungary includes probiotics, eye health supplements and glucosamine, which provides favourable market conditions for players within these categories, including lower tax rates. Due to office work, the low level of sports activities and the ageing population, the demand for products supporting joint health increased rapidly over the review period.

Overlaps and cross-competition

Dietary supplements often compete against other product types within consumer health, such as OTC products, weight management and wellbeing or sports nutrition. However, such cross-category overlaps can be leveraged by companies thanks to general health trends.

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