Sports Nutrition in the Netherlands

PROSPECTS

Growth remains strong amidst the health and wellness trend

Sports nutrition recorded strong current value growth in 2018 and remained amongst the most dynamic consumer health categories in the Dutch market. The continued increase of the health and wellness trend, as well as the burgeoning sports and fitness culture, were important growth drivers, as consumers who are more likely to engage in sports are also more likely to buy protein bars and other sports nutrition.

Regular hobbyists constitute the core consumer segment

Whilst there are some consumers who do not engage in sports activities but nonetheless buy sports nutrition (for example, protein bars to compensate for a perceived protein shortage), people who do sports several times a week form the most important consumer segment. This type of hobbyist is more inclined to buy protein bars and protein RTD beverages to boost the body's ability to build muscle post-workout.

Sports non-protein products set to remain relatively marginal

Sales of sports non-protein products are expected to keep lagging those of protein-based products, as supplements containing caffeine, creatine or beta-alanine are bought only by the most committed hobbyists with any regularity. Most hobbyists rarely use such products.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Sports nutrition remains highly fragmented, with US brands prominent

Sports nutrition remains highly fragmented, with few brands being available across all relevant distribution channels. Only a limited number of local brands and private label players are present in the category, and most of the leading sports nutrition brands available in the country are imported from the US.

Healthfood shops remains an important channel despite the rise of online retailing

The distribution of sports nutrition to end consumers also remained relatively fragmented in 2018, with such products being sold across many different channels. Due to the specialised nature of this type of nutrition, healthfood shops still accounted for a sizeable share of sales in 2018.

Strong price competition in mass channels

Due to the steadily rising popularity of sports nutrition, such products are becoming increasingly available through drugstores/parapharmacies, as well as modern grocery retailers. This holds especially true of protein bars.

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