Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- COVID-19 lockdown disrupts exercise, hitting sports nutrition
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- Figure 1: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on sports nutrition, 27 August 2020
- The market
- COVID-19 hits sales in 2020, income squeeze and ageing population pose challenges ahead
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- Figure 2: Value sales in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market^, 2016/17-2019/20
- Nine in 10 people report to exercise
- Companies and brands
- Major brands report strong growth in 2019/20
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- Figure 3: Leading brands’ value sales in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market^, 2017/18-2019/20
- Sports nutrition brands continue to develop mainstream-friendly products
- Protein claims continue to grow
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- Figure 4: Share of UK food and drink launches featuring a high-/added protein claim, 2015-20*
- The category attracts little ATL spend
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- Figure 5: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports nutrition (ordered by 2019), by media type, 2019-20*
- The consumer
- A third of adults use sports nutrition products
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- Figure 6: Sports nutrition usage by age and gender, May 2020
- Supermarkets are the most popular channel for buying sports nutrition
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- Figure 7: Retail channels typically used to buy sports nutrition products, May 2020
- Healthiness, price and taste hold equal importance
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- Figure 8: Purchase drivers for sports nutrition products, May 2020
- Sports nutrition usage is heavily dependent on exercise levels
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- Figure 9: Behaviours related to sports nutrition products, May 2020
- 47% think sports nutrition products are too artificial
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- Figure 10: Attitudes towards sports nutrition products, May 2020
- A third of adults use high-protein food and drink products
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- Figure 11: Consumption of high-protein food and drink products, May 2020
- Need for protein is widely felt, but many can’t keep track of intake
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- Figure 12: Attitudes towards high-protein food and drink products, May 2020
COVID-19 and Sports Nutrition
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- Impact on the market
- The COVID-19 lockdown hits exercise and sports nutrition
- Economic downturn will see the market come under pressure
- Impact on consumers
- COVID-19 boosts interest in exercise
- Increased interest in vegan diets suggests plant-based NPD warrants attention
- Two-in-five are cutting back on non-essential spend
- Impact on companies and brands
- A sharp shift in purchase channels
- Brands look to at-home exercise in marketing and NPD
- Smaller players are most exposed to disruption from COVID-19
Issues and Insights
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- COVID-19 boosts interest in exercise
- An ongoing case for sports nutrition brands to support exercise
- Increased interest in vegan diets strengthens the case for plant-based NPD
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- COVID-19 hits sales in 2020
- Income squeeze and ageing population pose challenges ahead
- Nine in 10 people report to exercise
Market Size
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- COVID-19 lockdown disrupts exercise, hitting sports nutrition
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- Figure 13: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on sports nutrition, 27 August 2020
- Sales through mainstream channels slowed in 2018/19…
- …and were hit by COVID-19 in 2020
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- Figure 14: Value sales in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market^, 2016/17-2019/20
- Ageing population, mainstream competition and income squeeze stand to pose challenges ahead
Market Drivers
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- Nine in 10 people report to exercise
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- Figure 15: Frequency of exercise, 2018-20
- Government emphasis on health intensifies under COVID-19
- Recession is expected to hit the core younger users of sports nutrition
- Ageing population will be a challenge for the market
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- Figure 16: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2014-19 and 2019-24
- End of Brexit transition period brings uncertainty to the market
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Major brands report strong growth in 2019/20
- Sports nutrition brands continue to develop mainstream-friendly products
- Protein claims continue to grow
- The category attracts little ATL spend
Market Share
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- Competitive landscape
- Myprotein attributes increased sales to rebrand
- Science in Sport reports distribution gains and ecommerce growth
- The Protein Works and USN grow sales in 2019
- Neat Nutrition secures crowdfunding; smaller players face pressure from COVID-19
- Market share through mainstream retail
- Grenade secures listings and NPD to grow sales
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- Figure 17: Leading brands’ value sales in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market^, 2017/18-2019/20
- For Goodness Shakes rebrand boosts 2018/19 growth
- Hershey’s acquires a minority stake in Fulfil
Launch Activity and Innovation – Sports Nutrition
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- Sports nutrition brands continue to develop mainstream-friendly products
- More protein bars focus on texture
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- Figure 18: Sports nutrition bars focused on texture, 2019/20
- Oat bakes and protein bars continue to blur boundaries with mainstream snacks
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- Figure 19: Myprotein Oat Bakes and Maximuscle Protein Bites, 2019/20
- Sports nutrition brands take inspiration from sweet bakes…
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- Figure 20: Sports nutrition biscuit and cake launches, 2019/20
- …and other sweet treats
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- Figure 21: Chocolate dip and truffle launches from sports nutrition brands, 2019/20
- Innovative flavours range from savoury to sweets
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- Figure 22: New sports nutrition launches with innovative flavours, 2019/20
- Myprotein partners with Swizzels
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- Figure 23: Myprotein’s Swizzels partnership and tea-flavoured launches, 2020
- Sports nutrition brands are shaking up the traditional protein powders
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- Figure 24: Examples of clear protein powders, 2019/20
- Sports nutrition shots provide additional functional benefits
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- Figure 25: Examples of sports nutrition shots, 2019/20
- Targeted sports nutrition
- Tailored to specific sports…
- …indoor and DNA
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- Figure 26: Examples of targeted sports nutrition, 2019/20
- Sports nutrition brands tap into the plant-based trend
- Strong demand for plant-based products
- Various leading brands invest in plant-based…
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- Figure 27: Examples of plant-based sports nutrition products, 2019/20
- …many pairing this with a cleaner label proposition
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- Figure 28: Examples of clean label sports nutrition products, 2019/20
- Sports nutrition brands cater for keto diets
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- Figure 29: Examples of keto sports nutrition products, 2019/20
- Premier Protein launches in UK
Launch Activity and Innovation – High-Protein Products
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- Methodology
- Protein claims continue to grow
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- Figure 30: Share of UK food and drink launches featuring a high-/added protein claim, 2015-20*
- Snacks and processed fish/meat/egg products lead in high/added protein launches
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- Figure 31: Share of high/added protein food launches, by product category, 2015-20*
- Snack/cereal/energy bars dominate high/added protein launches in snacks
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- Figure 32: Share of high-protein snack launches, by sub-category, 2015-20*
- Confectionery conglomerates look to protein under familiar brands
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- Figure 33: Examples of snacks/cereal/energy bars with high/added protein, 2019/20
- Meat snacks continue to attract NPD
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- Figure 34: Examples of meat snacks with high/added protein, 2019/20
- Ambient cheese snacks embrace a protein proposition
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- Figure 35: Examples of cheese snacks with high/added protein, 2019/20
- High-protein trend in dairy and plant-based dairy alternative products continues
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- Figure 36: Examples of dairy and dairy alternative products with high/added protein, 2019/20
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- The category attracts little ATL spend
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- Figure 37: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports nutrition (ordered by 2019), by advertiser, 2019-20*
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- Figure 38: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports nutrition (ordered by 2019), by media type, 2019-20*
- Bulk Powders launches Be More Do More campaign
- Grenade launches workout series on Amazon Prime…
- …while Myprotein airs live classes on Facebook Live
- The Protein Works begins Just Do More podcast
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- A third of adults use sports nutrition products
- Supermarkets are the most popular channel for buying sports nutrition
- Sports nutrition usage is heavily dependent on exercise levels
- Perception as artificial and confusion around ingredients hold back the category
- A third of adults use high-protein food and drink products
- Need for protein is widely felt, but many can’t keep track of intake
Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviour
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- COVID-19 boosts interest in exercise
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- Figure 39: Change in priorities since the COVID-19 outbreak, doing exercise, by gender and age, 7-14 May 2020
- Limited exercise opportunities see people turn to home workouts
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- Figure 40: Taking part in more home workouts and pausing gym membership as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, 26 March-16 April 2020
- Confidence in going to a gym remains low
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- Figure 41: Attitudes towards going to the gym, 2 July-7 August 2020
- Increased interest in vegan diets suggests plant-based NPD warrants attention
- Heightened focus on the environment
- A boost to online shopping
- A case for improving the online experience
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- Figure 42: Shopping online more and trying to limit time spent in-store since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, 16 April-14 August 2020
- Two-in-five are cutting back on non-essential spend
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- Figure 43: Cutting back on non-essential spending since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, 16 April-14 August 2020
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- Figure 44: Cutting back on non-essential spending, by gender, 30 July-7 August 2020
Usage of Sports Nutrition Products
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- A third of adults use sports nutrition products
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- Figure 45: Sports nutrition usage by frequency of exercising for at least 30 minutes, May 2020
- Men and 16-34s are core sports nutrition users
- Over-55s warrant attention…
- …but few of them take high intensity or strength workouts
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- Figure 46: Sports nutrition usage by age and gender, May 2020
- Protein bars and supplements remain the most popular products
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- Figure 47: Types of sports nutrition product used, May 2020
Where Sports Nutrition Products are Bought
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- Supermarkets are the most popular channel for buying sports nutrition
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- Figure 48: Retail channels typically used to buy sports nutrition products, May 2020
- Convenience stores used by one in five
- A third shop at specialists and a quarter at online-only specialists
Factors Influencing Purchase Choices
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- Healthiness, price and taste hold equal importance
- The economic downturn will dial-up the focus on price
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- Figure 49: Purchase drivers for sports nutrition products, May 2020
Behaviours Related to Sports Nutrition Products
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- Sports nutrition usage is heavily dependent on exercise levels
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- Figure 50: Behaviours related to sports nutrition products, May 2020
- Brands will benefit from encouraging exercise
- A case for offering products for low-intensity exercise
- A pressing need to combat confusion around ingredients
- A third are tempted by personalised sports nutrition
Attitudes towards Sports Nutrition
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- 47% think sports nutrition products are too artificial
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- Figure 51: Attitudes towards sports nutrition products, May 2020
- The onus is on brands to make their credentials understood
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- Figure 52: Examples of protein and sports nutrition products spotlighting their ingredients, 2019/20
- Over a third of adults want more plant-based products
- A quarter of adults interested in sports nutrition ingredient fortified food
High-Protein Food and Drink Usage
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- A third of adults use high-protein food and drink products
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- Figure 53: Consumption of high-protein food and drink products, May 2020
Attitudes towards High-Protein Food and Drink
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- Need for protein is widely understood, but many can’t keep track of intake
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- Figure 54: Attitudes towards high-protein food and drink products, May 2020
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- Figure 55: Examples of products calling out their protein content prominently on-pack, 2020
- Two thirds prefer food naturally high in protein to fortified
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- Figure 56: Examples of products explaining their protein source on-pack, 2020
- One-in-five interested in insect protein
- Low availability and high prices will limit uptake
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Consumer
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- Figure 57: Frequency of sports nutrition product usage, May 2020
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