Vitamins in the United Kingdom

PROSPECTS

Format innovation freshens up a stale category

Gummy multivitamins have long been a staple in paediatric vitamins and dietary supplements. However, the introduction into the UK of Centrum Multigummies for adults in January 2018 changed the stagnant vitamins landscape.

Convenience trumps other factors on the path to purchase

Even with something as important and crucial as health, consumers’ purchase decisions are increasingly driven by convenience. Sales of multivitamins have enjoyed strong growth as customers attempt to achieve maximum health with minimum effort.

Veganism boosts sales of single vitamins

Despite format innovation energising sales of vitamins, Centrum Multigummies and other gummy formulations contain animal-based gelatin. The proportion of vegans and vegetarians in the UK is growing at double-digit rates each year and single vitamins and combination vitamins cater to their nutritional needs more effectively than multivitamins.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Vitamins are part of the weekly food shop, edging out health and drug stores

As supermarkets consolidates its identity as a one-stop shop where consumers can buy everything, the channel threatens health stores and pharmacies more than ever by offering generic private label vitamins at a fraction of the price of established products. Tesco and Sainsbury’s offer private label versions of multivitamins and single vitamins in various formats.

Consumers torn between convenient multivitamins and personalised single combinations

Boots and Holland & Barrett consistently entice shoppers with deals such as “3 for 2 across all Wellness products” or “Buy One Get One For 99p”, respectively. Supermarkets adopt a similar approach, with Tesco, Sainsbury’s and others trying both multibuy offers and everyday low prices.

“Natural” appeal catches Holland & Barrett up to Boots

Holland & Barrett has historically been the UK’s top-ranking brand in vitamins and dietary supplements, with Boots in second place. Acquired by L1 Retail in June 2017, the UK’s largest health shop chain was targeted by the Russian holding company because it “moves with and leads long-term trends”.

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