The nutraceuticals market is expanding at a rapid pace. Market analysts valued the global market at $454 billion in 2021 and expect it to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9% from 2021 to 2030. Vitamins, dietary supplements, and functional foods and beverages are becoming a vital part of consumer health and wellness regimens. In fact, four in five American adults report dietary supplement consumption, the highest reported usage to date.
There are many reasons for this growth rate, such as rising healthcare costs and an aging population. Moreover, lifestyle changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly increased the demand for dietary supplements and functional foods. Health and wellness have been at the forefront of consumers’ minds over the past two-and-a-half years, driving sales of multivitamins and immunity-boosting supplements. With rising demand, several consumer trends have emerged.
Consider these 4 nutraceutical trends:
Read on to find helpful tips for applying these supplement trends to your labels and packaging.
Demand for variety and novelty
Whether it’s new flavors or formulations, today’s consumers demand variety and novelty. In the nutraceuticals market, this trend has led to an explosion of SKUs and pressure on brands to produce a broad product portfolio. On the one hand, following this trend is an excellent way to grow your business. Product line expansion boosts market share, brand awareness, and customer loyalty.
On the other hand, this trend adversely affects the supplement industry. Heavy competition, comparable products, and low-cost manufacturing have lowered consumer switching costs. For vitamin and supplement brands, launching new SKUs can be risky. So, how can you use this trend to your advantage? Here are our recommendations:
Employ unique packaging formats
Rather than experimenting with new flavors, try adding unique packaging formats to your product line. Almost all supplements come in rigid plastic jars and bottles; flexible packaging breaks the mold and maximizes shelf appeal. Furthermore, pouches are convenient and portable, particularly when formed into sample-size or on-the-go formats.
Add a personal touch
Another way to add novelty to your packaging is through variable content. Also known as variable data, this includes text, images, and QR codes that can change from label to label. We achieve this type of print personalization through digital printing. It lets your customers personalize products with their names or photos, increasing consumer loyalty.
Manage your growing portfolio with digital printing
If you’re a brand with a growing number of SKUs, digital printing might be the right fit for you. It is more efficient and economical for short runs than traditional print. Unlike conventional printing, digital printing does not require plates. This enables you to easily change graphics from version to version and combine multiple SKUs into one order. Doing so increases your overall order quantity and drives down the cost per label, saving you money.
Furthermore, because of the lack of setup costs, digital printing enables you to launch new products cost-effectively and with minimal risk. So, if you’re unsure how well your latest flavor will do in the market, only order enough labels for a test run. You can then print more labels when you need them. Learn more about the benefits of digital printing for nutraceuticals in this blog post.
Blog post: 7 advantages of digital printing for nutraceutical labels
Recyclable and eco-friendly packaging
In the last few years, plastic packaging has come under fire. Across the globe, many governments have passed laws banning single-use plastics. A new law in California prohibits deceptive recycling claims and requires brands to use recycling-friendly components, inks, adhesives, and labels. With many leading brands announcing targets to eliminate unnecessary plastics and ensure their packaging is recyclable, compostable, or reusable by 2025, sustainability is becoming a minimum requirement for doing business.
For brands with clear sustainability goals, consumer support is higher than ever. According to a recent consumer study, 60 to 70 percent of US consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging when labeled as eco-friendly. And, more and more consumers expect packaging to be recyclable or include higher levels of recycled content.
The signs are clear: sustainable packaging benefits the planet and can future-proof your business. Don’t know where to start your sustainability journey? Here are our packaging recommendations:
Enable recyclability
Plastic packaging is standard across most markets, including the nutraceutical market. PET and HDPE are the most common plastics used to package vitamins, dietary supplements, functional foods and beverages. PET and HDPE containers are widely recyclable, but labels, inks, and adhesives are sources of contamination in the recycling process. To ensure a closed loop for recycled packaging, brands need solutions that work with the current recycling system.
We offer several circular solutions for PET and HDPE packaging. Whether you’re looking for pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves or flexible packaging, our solutions enable recycling without sacrificing performance or aesthetics. They are also compatible with existing label application and filling equipment.
Choose alternative materials
Although creating a circular economy for packaging is our primary goal, we understand that the above solutions may not be the best fit for your brand. For this reason, we also offer sustainably-sourced materials to help you reduce your carbon footprint. These solutions include labels with post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, FSC-certified paper, and renewable bio-based materials to decrease your environmental impact.
Have you heard about our newest innovation?
Product safety and authentication
According to consumer studies, 79 percent of Americans trust the nutraceuticals industry and have confidence in the safety and quality of dietary supplements. Unfortunately, this trust presents an opportunity for bad actors. No longer reserved for luxury goods, counterfeiting has found its way into the supplement industry. But, unlike a fake handbag, fake supplements put a buyer’s health at risk.
Don’t let safety and counterfeiting scandals erode your brand reputation. Because consumers ingest these products, it’s crucial that your labels and packaging instill confidence that your product is safe and legitimate. Here are our recommendations:
Add tamper evidence
The easiest way to add tamper evidence to your existing container is by adding a tamper-evident neckband around the cap or lid. These neckbands can be transparent or fully printed to suit your needs. Or, you can integrate tamper evidence into a full-body shrink sleeve that goes over the cap. This solution creates a sleek look and feel, utilizing 360-degree branding while giving consumers peace of mind. Perforations can be added to either option, aiding easy removal.
Alternatively, you can customize a flexible packaging solution to meet your nutraceutical packaging needs. Choose from a wide range of closures, including child-proof closures, and easily integrate tamper-evident features.
Protect against counterfeiting
Effective brand protection is too complicated and extensive to fake. There are several ways to create a unique fingerprint for your labels and packaging, including digital watermarks, invisible inks, and QR codes. These solutions embed covert code in your art file, creating a digital identity only mobile apps can read. Better yet, these anti-counterfeiting techniques have minimal impact on your design.
Convenient and on-the-go packaging
Last but certainly not least on our list of nutraceutical trends is the shift toward convenience. People are busier than ever. As a result, pre-portioned vitamins and prepared functional foods and beverages are in high demand. Similarly, less time at the grocery store makes multi-packs and variety packs a convenient grab-and-go choice.
The trend towards functional packaging, whether in a single-serve or multi-pack format, underlines the importance of choosing the appropriate packaging for the setting. To succeed, brands need supply chain flexibility and short-run capabilities that don’t cut into profitability.
Boost brand awareness with single-serve packaging
Single-serve packaging is an excellent way to boost brand awareness. When your product leaves its traditional environment, it opens up opportunities to engage a new audience. Single-serve packaging also allows potential buyers to sample your product before committing to a full-size package.
Shrink sleeves and pressure sensitive labels are perfect for prepared single-serve beverages like protein shakes, collagen shots, and energy drinks. Stick packs or three-sided pouches, on the other hand, are ideal for pre-portioned powdered products or customized daily vitamin packs. We can print these solutions digitally or conventionally to meet your demands for faster lead times, smaller run sizes, and print personalization.
Increase sales with multi-packs and variety packs
Multi-packs and variety packs help you boost your overall revenue and profit. Because they encourage customers to purchase larger quantities, these bulk packs lower unit costs and increase your margins. Variety packs even allow you to package slow movers with current favorites, reducing waste overall.
Custom multi-pack and promotional shrink sleeves are perfect for bundling bottles and rigid containers. Large stand-up pouches can also be used to bundle single-serve stick packs or sachets. Regardless of your choice, our full suite of packaging solutions allows you to serve both market needs: on-the-go convenience with single-serve packaging or multi-pack format for easy grab-and-go.
