Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Sales through mainstream channels pick up
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- Figure 1: Value sales in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market^, 2015/16-2017/18
- Health remains on consumer agenda
- Sugar remains in the spotlight, protein continues to be popular
- Tapping the grey pound remains a challenge
- Companies and brands
- GSK offloads MaxiNutrition and MaxiMuscle
- Dunn’s River leads sales through mainstream channels, Grenade leaps ahead
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- Figure 2: Leading brands’ shares in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market*, by value, 2017/18**
- Protein bars remain a focus in sports nutrition NPD
- Vegan ranges expand
- Brands look to new uses and categories
- High-protein claims continue to rise
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- Figure 3: Share of UK food and drink launches featuring a high-protein claim, 2014-17
- Snacks lead the high-protein charge
- One in six high-protein launches are dairy, high-profile NPD in ice cream
- The consumer
- Young men remain core users of sports nutrition products
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- Figure 4: Usage of sports nutrition products, by age and gender, March 2018
- Sports nutrition faces competition from high-protein food and drink
- Exercise and sport are key occasions for usage
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- Figure 5: Usage occasions for sports nutrition products, March 2018
- Non-users need convincing of the benefits of sports nutrition
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- Figure 6: Barriers to using sports nutrition products, March 2018
- High protein remains most important choice factor
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- Figure 7: Important factors for choosing a sports nutrition product, March 2018
- Opportunities to harness the strong interest in digestive health
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- Figure 8: Behaviours relating to sports nutrition products, March 2018
- Protein enjoys a notably strong health image, demand for more clarity on protein type
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- Figure 9: Attitudes towards protein, March 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- The sports nutrition category is a perfect fit for innovation around gut health
- The facts
- The implications
- Clearly flagging up protein sources can win trust through transparency while helping users navigate the category
- The facts
- The implications
- Scope for sports nutrition brands to focus more on sustainability issues…
- The facts
- The implications
- … within which insect proteins offer futuristic potential
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Sales through mainstream channels pick up
- Growth of high-protein products and ageing population pose challenges
- Health remains on the agenda
- Sugar remains in the spotlight, protein continues to be popular
- Tapping the grey pound remains a challenge
Market Size
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- Growth through mainstream channels picks up
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- Figure 10: Value sales in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market^, 2015/16-2017/18
- Convenient formats drive relevance in mainstream channels
- ‘Positive nutrition’ and focus on flavour should appeal to less committed athletes
- Online and specialist retailers dominate the market
- Growth of high-protein products marks rising competition
Market Drivers
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- Health remains on the agenda
- Most people exercise at least twice a week …
- … but many fall short of the recommended exercise target
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- Figure 11: Frequency of exercise, by gender and age, March 2018
- Sugar remains in the spotlight
- Protein remains popular among consumers and brands
- Plant-based proteins have had a rising profile
- Taping the grey pound remains a challenge
- Small uptick expected for young men
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- Figure 12: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2012-22
- Future of food and drink legislation post-Brexit remains uncertain
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- GSK offloads MaxiNutrition and MaxiMuscle
- Dunn’s River leads sales through mainstream channels, Grenade leaps ahead
- Protein bars remain a focus in sports nutrition NPD
- Vegan ranges expand
- Brands look to new uses and categories
- High-protein claims continue to rise
- Snacks lead the high-protein charge
- One in six high-protein launches are dairy, high-profile NPD in ice cream
Market Share
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- Sports nutrition brands reports mixed UK performance
- Science in Sports continues strong performance
- Protein Works, USN and Health & Diet Centres post declines
- Market share through supermarkets
- Grenade posts strongest growth
- GSK offloads MaxiNutrition and MaxiMuscle
- Growth continues for own-label
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- Figure 13: Value sales in the UK sports nutrition food and drink market^, 2016/17-2016/17
Launch Activity and Innovation – Sports Nutrition
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- Protein bars remain a focus in sports nutrition NPD
- Protein bars ramp up the indulgence factor
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- Figure 14: Protein bar launches with indulgent flavours, 2017/18
- Oats up health credentials for protein bars
- Indulgent flavours are inspiring range extensions
- Vegan ranges are expanded
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- Figure 15: Vegan sports nutrition launches
- Brands look to new uses and categories
- PhD unveils “versatile” Smart Protein powder
- Optimum Nutrition targets breakfast occasions
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- Figure 16: PhD Smart Protein range and Optimum Nutrition breakfast range, 2017/18
Launch Activity and Innovation – High-protein Food
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- Methodology
- High-protein claims continue to rise
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- Figure 17: Share of UK food and drink launches featuring a high-protein claim, 2014-17
- Snacks lead the high-protein charge
- Dynamic high-protein innovation in snack bars
- An explosion in pulse-based snacks
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- Figure 18: High-protein snack launches 2017/18
- High-profile NPD in nuts
- Meat snacks gain share of snack NPD in 2017, and look to new formats
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- Figure 19: Share of high-protein food launches, by product category, 2017
- One in six high-protein launches are dairy
- Arla continues to expand its reach in high-protein dairy
- Müller builds up its high-protein offering
- Quark attracts attention from big players
- High-profile better-for-you NPD in ice cream
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- Figure 20: High-protein ice cream launches 2017/18
- Breakfast foods have harnessed their suitability for high-protein NPD
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Young men remain core users of sports nutrition products
- Sports nutrition faces competition from high-protein food and drink
- Exercise and sport are key occasions for usage
- Non-users need convincing of the benefits of sports nutrition
- High protein remains most important choice factor
- Opportunities to harness the strong interest in digestive health
- Protein enjoys a notably strong health image
- Consumers want more clarity about protein type
Usage of Sports Nutrition and High-protein Products
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- Young men remains core users of sports nutrition products
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- Figure 21: Any usage of sports nutrition products, by age and gender, March 2018
- Repertoires are low
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- Figure 22: Usage of sports nutrition products, by gender, March 2018
- Sports nutrition faces competition from high-protein food and drink
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- Figure 23: Usage of high-protein products, March 2018
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- Figure 24: Cross-over in usage of sport nutrition products and high-protein food/drink, March 2018
Occasions for Using Sports Nutrition
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- Exercise and sport are key occasions for usage
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- Figure 25: Usage occasions for sports nutrition products, March 2018
- Sports nutrition has a role beyond exercise and sport
- Scope for products supporting energy and cognitive function
Barriers to Using Sports Nutrition
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- Non-users need convincing of the benefits of sports nutrition
- Building trust is needed to convince people of benefits
- Tailored ranges should improve relevance
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- Figure 26: Barriers to using sports nutrition products, March 2018
- Price is a major barrier
- Processing and ingredients are a concern
Choice Factors for Sports Nutrition
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- High protein remains most important factor
- Protein source is important to one in three
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- Figure 27: Important factors for choosing a sports nutrition product, March 2018
- All-natural ingredients are in demand
- Low sugar and low calories are important to women
Behaviours Relating to Sports Nutrition
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- Opportunities to harness the strong interest in digestive health …
- … by looking to “gut healthy” ingredients
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- Figure 28: Behaviours relating to sports nutrition products, March 2018
- Herbs and spices are underutilised
Attitudes towards Protein
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- Protein enjoys a notably strong health image
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- Figure 29: Attitudes towards protein, March 2018
- Uncertainty about getting enough protein …
- … owing to a lack of straightforward advice
- Clarity on products’ protein levels should appeal
- Consumers want more clarity about protein type
- Plant-based credentials appeal
- Insect protein piques the interest of one in five
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- Figure 30: UK snacks featuring crickets as an ingredient
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 31: Share of UK food launches featuring a high-protein claim, by category, 2014-17
- Figure 32: Share of UK drink launches featuring a high-protein claim, by category, 2014-17
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