The health supplement market maintained stable growth in 2018 and Mintel forecasts the market to grow at a value CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 9.7% over 2018-23. The aging population, demand for children’s supplements, and the emergence of online channels are contributing to the market’s growth.

Consumers have higher usage of health supplements compared to 2017. Among them, probiotic supplements are especially welcomed by parents to purchase for their kids. In terms of purchase channels, while offline channels, particularly drugstores/pharmacies, are still dominating the market, online channels have shown more potential especially in reaching young consumers, due to the convenience and varieties of product choices.

This Report covers health supplement products that are certified with either a National Medical Licence Number (国药准字号) or as a Health Supplement Food (保健食品) when collating the market size.

Among those with a National Medical Licence Number, only those products which are registered as OTC (over-the-counter) drugs are included in the market size, while those registered as prescription drugs are excluded.

The market segments include:

• Vitamins – single vitamins and vitamin complexes (eg Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, Vitamin B complex).

• Minerals – eg calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium.

• Dietary supplements – including animal-based nutritional supplements (eg cod liver oil, and e-jiao), and plant-based nutritional supplements (eg garlic oil and spirulina tablets).

Products that are known for their nutritional value but are not processed into essence that is used in health supplements (eg bird’s nest in its original form) are excluded from market sizing.

• Low earner is defined with monthly personal income as RMB4,999 or below

• Middle earner is defined with monthly personal income as RMB5,000-7,999

• High earner is defined with monthly personal income as RMB8,000 or above.