Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Strong sales growth for sports nutrition products through the leading grocers
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- Figure 1: Value sales and annual rates of growth of sports nutrition food and drink through selected retailers*, 2013-15
- Half of adults exercise at least twice a week
- Most consumers try to eat healthily most or all of the time – High-protein widely seen as healthy
- The ageing population is a challenge
- Companies and brands
- Independent brands are gobbled up
- Strong growth from MaxiNutrition, Sci-Mx and For Goodness Shakes
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- Figure 2: Leading brands’ shares in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market*, by value, 2015/16**
- High-protein claims have increased dramatically in food launches
- The consumer
- One in four consumers use sports nutrition products
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- Figure 3: Usage of high-protein products (excluding sports nutrition), by type, by gender, May 2016
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- Figure 4: Usage of sports nutrition products, by product type, by gender, May 2016
- Collaborations between sports nutrition and mainstream brands attract interest
- Users are hungry to know more
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- Figure 5: Users’ attitudes towards sports nutrition products, May 2016
- Multiple benefits linked to protein should help to tap into a holistic approach to health
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- Figure 6: Perceived benefits of eating/drinking high-protein products, May 2015
- Scope to grow awareness of higher protein needs of older consumers
- Interest in protein powders and a wider availability of high-protein prepared meals
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- Figure 7: Attitudes towards protein, May 2016
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Collaborations between sports nutrition and mainstream brands can be mutually beneficial
- The facts
- The implications
- Scope to drive awareness of benefits of high-protein food linked to muscle growth among parents and the older generation
- The facts
- The implications
- Simplified information and personalised guidance is needed to make the sports nutrition market more approachable
- The fact
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Strong growth for sports nutrition products through the leading grocers
- Half of adults exercise at least twice a week
- Most consumers try to eat healthily most or all of the time – High-protein widely seen as healthy
- The ageing population is a challenge
- Rising real incomes bode well for the market
Market Size
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- Strong growth for sports nutrition products from the leading grocers
- The market is on a journey from niche to mainstream
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- Figure 8: Value sales and annual rates of growth of sports nutrition food and drink through selected retailers*, 2013-15
- Blurring of boundaries between sports nutrition products and the mainstream
- The market holds further potential
Market Drivers
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- Half of adults exercise at least twice a week
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- Figure 9: Frequency of exercise, by age group, May 2016
- Most consumers try to eat healthily most or all of the time – High-protein widely seen as healthy
- Almost half of adults tried to lose weight in 2015
- UK adults are getting enough protein
- Differences over recommendations breed confusion
- The debate over how sports foods should be categorised by EU law rumbles on
- The ageing population is a challenge
- Rising real incomes bode well for the market
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Independent brands are gobbled up
- Samworth Brothers aims to bring Sci-Mx to the mainstream
- A boost from the Rugby World Cup for MaxiNutrition
- High-protein claims have increased dramatically
- Snacks lead the way in high-protein NPD
- High-protein claims often teamed up with “natural goodness”
- Sports nutrition brands look to accessible formats
Market Share
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- Competitive landscape
- Independent brands are gobbled up
- My Protein is at the helm of the UK online channel
- The Protein Works™ joins PhD Nutrition within the Sport-ph company
- Real Good Food clinches ISO2
- Glanbia Performance Nutrition continues to build its global portfolio
- Market share through supermarkets
- Dunn’s River Nurishment is at the top
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- Figure 10: Leading brands’ shares in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market*, by value, 2015/16**
- Sci-Mx sales up 25% year on year
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- Figure 11: Leading brands’ shares in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market^, by value, 2013/14*, 2014/15** and 2015/16***
- Strong performance from For Goodness Shakes
- A boost from the Rugby World Cup for MaxiNutrition
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- High-protein claims have increased dramatically
- Snacks lead the way in high-protein NPD
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- Figure 12: High-protein food launches, by product category, 2015
- High-protein claims often teamed up with “natural goodness”
- Mars gives high-protein within chocolate a huge boost
- Mornflake is the latest breakfast cereal brand to go high-protein
- Prepared meals see more high-protein NPD
- High-protein NPD activity in dairy from Arla and Alpro
- Asda enters the sports nutrition space with an own-label offering
- Sports nutrition brands look to accessible formats
- Launches beyond sweet treats
- For Goodness Shakes unveils flavoured water range
- LDN Muscle moves into sports nutrition products
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- One in four consumers use sports nutrition products
- Young consumers and high-earners are the core users
- Collaborations between sports nutrition and mainstream brands attract interest
- Users are hungry to know more
- Multiple benefits linked to protein should help to tap into a holistic approach to health
- Scope to grow awareness of higher protein needs of older consumers
- Interest in protein powders and a wider availability of high-protein prepared meals
Usage of Sports Nutrition Products
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- One in four consumers use sports nutrition products
- High levels of loyalty among many users
- Young consumers and high-earners are the core users
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- Figure 13: Usage of sports nutrition products, by product type, by gender, May 2016
- Usage has fallen year on year
- High-protein and sports nutrition products attract the same audience
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- Figure 14: Usage of high-protein products (excluding sports nutrition), by type, by gender, May 2016
- Figure 15: Usage of high-protein products (excluding sports nutrition) and sports nutrition products, by age, gender and socio-economic group, May 2016
Attitudes towards Sports Nutrition Products
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- Collaborations between sports nutrition and mainstream brands attract interest
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- Figure 16: Users’ attitudes towards sports nutrition products, May 2016
- All-natural ingredients are an attractive proposition
- Most users trust the governance of the sports nutrition market
- Users are hungry to know more…
Perceived Benefits of High-Protein Products
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- Multiple benefits linked to protein should help to tap into a holistic approach to health
- Topping up dietary protein is seen as the main benefit
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- Figure 17: Perceived benefits of eating/drinking high-protein products, May 2015
- Sustained energy and satiety are stronger draws for women
- Scope to drive awareness of benefits linked to muscle growth…
- …and bone health
Attitudes towards Protein
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- Awareness of higher protein needs of older consumers can be grown
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- Figure 18: Attitudes towards protein, May 2016
- Under-25s are most likely to think plant protein is just as good quality as animal protein
- 44% of 16-24s think there are not enough high-protein prepared meals
- One in four are interested in protein powders
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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