Weight Management and Wellbeing in Egypt

2020 IMPACT

COVID-19 dampens current value growth as product area considered non-essential

Weight management and wellbeing is expected to register lower value growth than in 2019 and this is despite inflationary pressures. The product area is tiny in Egypt in terms of value share and core products such as meal replacement and supplement nutrition drinks are not sold in Egypt.

Eva Pharma remains the strong leader in weight management and wellbeing

Eva Pharma maintains its dominant position in weight management and wellbeing in 2020, accounting for nearly half of value sales. Sigma Pharmaceutical Industries is in second place, with about a fifth of value share.

The preference for traditional and natural weight loss remedies continues to suppress demand

Another factor suppressing the growth potential of weight management and wellbeing is that many consumers are more inclined to try natural ways of losing weight first before turning to commercially manufactured and packaged consumer health products. For this reason, slimming teas continues to struggle as these products are very similar to the natural unpackaged weight loss preparations favoured by much of the Egyptian population.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Consumers look to shed weight, post COVID-19

Prior to COVID-19, weight management and wellbeing products being had been experiencing healthy double-digit value growth, though some of this value growth was driven by inflation. COVID-19 had a dulling effect on the product area, with value growth lower than in 2019.

Unhealthy lifestyles and high-fat diets remain common among the population

Weight management and wellbeing is a very small consumer health product area, in terms of value share. Unhealthy lifestyles remain the norm in Egypt and this means that few people in the country are actively engaged in attempts to keep their weight to a healthy level.

The ban on marketing and advertising results in lack of dynamism

The mass marketing and advertising of weight management and wellbeing products is strictly prohibited by the Ministry of Health. Marketing activities are permitted only within chemists/pharmacies outlets, with companies allowed to supply retailers with leaflets, banners and display stands that can be mounted in-store or outside.