In the vitamins and minerals market, purchase decisions are driven largely by healthful living trends. However, as discussed in this report, consumers have a wide array of reasons for taking (or not taking) vitamins and minerals. Understanding trends and consumer behavior will be critical in gaining share in the vitamins and minerals market.

This report offers an in-depth discussion of the following topics:

How the aging population drives the market

In the vitamins and minerals market, purchase decisions are driven largely by healthful living trends. However, as discussed in this report, consumers have a wide array of reasons for taking (or not taking) vitamins and minerals. Understanding trends and consumer behavior will be critical in gaining share in the vitamins and minerals market.

This report offers an in-depth discussion of the following topics:

How the aging population drives the market

How women are the primary consumers of vitamins/minerals and supplements

How certain cohorts are less interested in taking supplements, and suggestions on how to attract these groups

How dissatisfaction with traditional medicine can lead consumers to seek treatments for specific conditions

In addition, this report looks at how manufacturers are trying to reach consumers with advertising, and where the market may be headed. Despite many positive drivers, Mintel expects the market to remain stagnant or grow only slightly, as mass merchandisers continue to lower prices and some consumers choose to forego supplements for healthy foods.

The vitamin and mineral supplement market covered in this report has been divided into four segments:

Liquid vitamins/minerals: vitamin and mineral supplements in liquid form (or powder to be added to liquid)

Mineral supplements: supplements based on mineral ingredients (calcium, iron) in pill or tablet form

Multivitamins: pills or tablets that contain a mixture of a number of vitamins in one pill or tablet

One- and two-letter vitamins: pills or tablets that contain only one or two specific letter vitamins

Excluded are botanical and herbal supplements, vitamin-enhanced/enriched food products, and ingredients and extracts of animal and plant origin.