Report

10 key trends in food, nutrition & health

Bill Bruce5 Jul 2010

According to a new report by UK based Research and Markets Ltd, Digestive health continues to be the biggest trend in food, nutrition and health.

Its importance to consumers has been underscored by the impressive growth rates of digestive health brands, with sales of even premium brands increasing by 10%-20% during the recession. And yet digestive health still has huge areas of untapped potential in most countries around the world, especially for fibre fortified products and products in the beverage and cereal categories.

Bones and Movement enters the top 10 trends this year for the first time. It’s a trend that has been gathering momentum thanks to the increasing number of people over the age of 40, who have more reason to be aware of the health of their bones and joints. It’s a niche that is getting bigger fast and it’s a significant area of opportunity in every continent – and one that has not been fully exploited anywhere except in Asia.

The potential of bones and movement has already gained the attention of Europe’s most innovation-​minded companies, where the new ultra-​restrictive health claims régime may leave ‘bone health” as one of the very few permitted claims.

Each year since 1995, industry expert Julian Mellentin has forecast and analysed trends in food, nutrition and health.

Mellentin’s 10 key trends for 2010 are:

  1. Digestive health – a mega-​trend moves beyond the tipping point
  2. An intrinsic health benefit that’s also convenient
  3. Feel the benefit – the most powerful marketing message
  4. Energy – a world of untapped opportunities
  5. Fruit and superfruit – the future of food and health
  6. Antioxidants – big in America, dead in Europe?
  7. Weight management
  8. Healthy snacking
  9. Packaging and premiumisation
  10. Bones and movement

This year, the report also includes seven micro-​trends. These are:

  1. Protein power
  2. Kids’ nutrition
  3. New life for heart-​health and cholesterol-​lowering?
  4. Probiotics’ new prospects
  5. Immunity – a great claim that’s hard to use
  6. Fresh start for omega-​3?
  7. Beauty an ultra-​niche opportunity

Source: Research and Markets Ltd

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