The market for packaged foods and beverages that are specifically formulated to address a specific health concern or disease — and marketed as such — is a “dynamic and promising one,” according to “Targeted Health and Wellness Foods and Beverages: The U.S. Market and Global Trends,” a new report from the Packaged Facts division of Rockville, Md.-based MarketResearch.com. Interest here is driven largely by the growing recognition among scientists, government, practitioners and consumers of the instrumental role diet plays in a wide role of health conditions.

Diseases linked to eating habits, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, some types of cancer, diabetes and more, are among the leading causes of death in the United States, the report notes. Because the risk of developing diet-related chronic diseases increases with age, the aging of the U.S. population plays a critical role in this market. In addition, rising healthcare costs are forcing consumers to seek alternative ways to manage health conditions.

“Two-thirds of U.S. grocery shoppers have purchased a food or beverage in the past year for the purpose of addressing one or more specific health and wellness conditions or concerns,” said David Sprinkle, publisher of Packaged Facts.

A survey Packaged Facts performed for the report revealed that targeted health and wellness food shoppers are very willing to pay more for “better-for-you” products, as well as to shop for such products in a wider range of outlets. The food, beverage or ingredient’s “health benefit reputation” is the most significant factor influencing a purchasing decision based on a specific personal or household health concern, the report states. This reality underscores the need for marketers “to convey health benefits credibly, clearly, consistently and frequently.”

Because almost half of surveyed consumers indicated that doctors are one of their key sources of food nutrient-related information — and one-quarter of surveyed consumers said a recommendation by a health professional is an important factor in the buying decision when it comes to products targeted specific health concerns — marketing to healthcare practitioners can be a rewarding strategy, the report adds.

Sprinkle told Progressive Grocer’s Store Brands that U.S. consumers are most interested in foods and beverages geared for cholesterol management (mostly plant sterols and stanols) and digestive health (probiotics). Both of these areas make sense for retailers’ store brand programs, he added, because both relate strongly to foods consumed.

“Unless you are marketing medical foods, merchandising with ‘regular’ products will probably be most effective,” he noted. “Most consumers are looking for real foods first, with special health benefits — preferably from natural ingredients, or at least partly from natural ingredients — as an added benefit and reason to buy.”

For more information, visit https://www.packagedfacts.com/Target-Health-Wellness-6497898.