- Contents
- *Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- COVID-19: market context
- Economic and other assumptions
What you need to know
Over half of Americans live in households where nutrition, meal replacement or weight loss drinks are consumed. While the nutrition drinks market overall continues to grow, sales varied greatly by segment. Nutrition and meal replacement drinks saw a surge in sales in 2020, thanks in part to their associations with boosting wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conversely, the weight loss drinks segment suffered sales losses as consumers focused less on weight goals during lockdown. Moving forward, sales are predicted to level out and are projected to slowly but steadily increase in years ahead.
Key issues covered in this Report
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behavior and the nutrition drinks market.
Immune health connection supports nutrition drinks through uncertain times.
Seniors and kids both offer expansion opportunity.
Support old standbys with new innovations.
Definition
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
•Nutritional drinks: liquid drinks and drink mixes that fill a specific nutritional need, including meal replacement, such as providing additional amounts of vitamins/minerals to supplement a regular diet or support a special diet (eg Ensure, Glucerna, Boost, Carnation Instant Breakfast).
•Weight loss drinks: liquid drinks and drink mixes that are specifically positioned to aid in weight loss efforts (eg SlimFast and Atkins).
For the purpose of consumer data reporting, meal replacement drinks are broken out from nutrition drinks as a separate segment.
COVID-19: market context
The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the US in January 2020. On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global health pandemic, and on March 13, President Trump declared a national emergency in the US.
Across the US, state-level stay-at-home orders rolled out throughout the months of March and April, remaining in place through May, and in some cases June. During this time, referred to as lockdown, non-essential businesses and school districts across the nation closed or shifted to remote operations.
During re-emergence, all 50 states have relaxed stay-at-home orders and allowed businesses to operate with varying levels of social distancing measures in place. The continued spread of COVID-19 infections has driven some states to slow down or reverse course on reopening plans. Mintel anticipates the US will remain in a state of flux through 2021, until a vaccine is widely available.
Economic and other assumptions
This forecast and subsequent Report assumes the following:
Unemployment will remain at 10.6% in 2020 before incrementally improving over the next five years.
US GDP will decline 5.8% in 2020 and increase 4% in 2021, followed by continuous increases until 2025.
Consumer confidence rests at 81.2 as of October 2020. This is a 9.4-point improvement from its low of 71.8 in April, indicating that consumer confidence is on an upswing and could improve throughout the rest of the year.
