As the quality of clinical data supporting health claims improves, we expect to see deeper segmentation of target audiences for functional products

Wednesday 21 May 2014, Amsterdam

Report description overview:

The new report: The future of functional food and drinks – successful product positioning and claims identifies that Health is often not a prime consideration when consumers come to select what food and drink to consume. This report provides a detailed insight into the current state of the regulatory landscape in major markets and the implications for the functional food and drinks market, enabling you to monitor the development over time. You will gain an explicit understanding of the how the functional food and drinks market can be segmented in terms of the relationship of claims to performance, prevention and treatment, and how these claims map onto consumer age groups. This will enable you to identify the key areas in which you want to compete in the future.

The difference:

• Confidently update your strategic and tactical plans based on a proper understanding of the future pattern of market trends.
• Identify new opportunities in the functional food and drinks markets and understand how consumer behaviour is evolving rapidly, this will enable you to open up new opportunities and gain the upper hand over competitors.
• Analysis of consumer behavior, economic conditions, and demography reveals emerging opportunities in the functional food and drinks market should you be thinking of diversifying your business offerings.

Additional report highlights:

• As a result of stringent regulation, Europe has become the global hub for functional food and drinks clinical trials, while Japan remains by far and away the centre of functional innovation. But the largest number of functional food and drink consumers is in the US – especially as a market for lifestyle health products.
• As the quality of clinical data supporting health claims improves, we expect to see deeper segmentation of target audiences for functional products. We also expect an ongoing tension in whether products are marketed as being more natural or more ‘scientific’ or a hybrid.
• Health is often not a prime consideration when consumers come to select what food and drink to consume; other motivations are more pressing, meaning consumers are likely to select an unhealthy product if it better meets their needs. Even where there is clear clinical evidence that a product or ingredient can improve health outcomes, the functional benefit may be better positioned as a solution for busy lives or changing lifestyles, or even just as expression of individualism.