Proprietary Research Confirms the Retail Opportunity of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

November 20, 2013

Kathryn Magann
Vestcom
Manager, Content Solutions

Based on the continued growth of the $11.5 billion vitamin category and the value of the vitamin shopper to retailers – whose household penetration is 79 percent and repeat purchase rate is 81 percent, according to Nielsen – we believe vitamin and mineral supplements to be the first step in connecting food nutrition to emerging science for a well-rounded health and wellness approach in retail stores.

Vestcom commissioned third-party research in 2012 with vitamin shoppers whose primary outlet purchases were grocery, drug, health food and vitamin stores, or online.  The study explored:

• Behaviors of vitamin consumers
• Underlying motivators toward shopping at certain types of outlets
• Types of information the shopper is seeking while making a purchase

The research confirmed some expected outcomes; for example, shoppers wanted more information at the point of purchase. It also revealed some noteworthy unknowns – for instance, grocery and drug store vitamin shoppers are decidedly loyal to those channels for vitamin purchases.  Ultimately, the study validated that shoppers want more information, particularly in your store’s aisle and shelf edge.

Key Findings

• The majority of respondents (80%) have been to a grocery or drug store to buy vitamins.
• Grocery and drug channel shoppers are highly loyal to the channel. Two-thirds of shoppers who primarily buy vitamins from grocery or drug always purchase vitamins in those channels.
• For shoppers whose primary channel is specialty or online retailers, loyalty to their primary channel is significantly lower — less than 30%.
• The majority of specialty store and online shoppers also shop drug and grocery stores for vitamins. This presents an opportunity to further engage these shoppers through enhanced shelf-edge communication and drive incremental sales in this profitable category as well as throughout the store.
• Just about everyone is looking for more information on vitamins – 74 percent indicated they would like to have detailed information at the store shelf.
• Detailed signage will aid drug and grocery shoppers where experts may not be readily accessible. 71 percent of grocery and drug shoppers are unable to find relevant information at the store shelf while making a purchase.
• Shoppers want information regarding product benefits for specific health conditions, especially heart health, bone health and joint health. Providing this information at the shelf edge will enhance the shopping experience and drive additional sales.

The bottom line: brick and mortar retailers have the unique opportunity to leverage the vitamin aisle to engage an information-hungry shopper, connect food to pharmacy and ultimately drive shopper loyalty and incremental sales. 

Click oClick here for Vestcom's "New Insights on Vitamin Shoppers" infographic for a close-up look at the latest info on the value, channel preferences, and behavior of VMS shoppers.