News

How Do Consumers Decide to Take Omega-3s?

20 Aug 2013

Omega-3 supplements have continued to gain in popularity, and in most of the world, awareness that omega-3s are good for you is almost universal (see the figure on the left). Yet while consumers may be familiar with omega-3s, they do not necessarily understand why omega-3s are good for them, and they cannot say how much […]

How Do Consumers Decide to Take Omega-3s?

Omega-3 supplements have continued to gain in popularity, and in most of the world, awareness that omega-3s are good for you is almost universal (see the figure on the left).

Yet while consumers may be familiar with omega-3s, they do not necessarily understand why omega-3s are good for them, and they cannot say how much omega-3s they should be taking. Likewise, when you look at where various consumers go to get information on omega-3s, there are wide variations.

In all the countries GOED has surveyed, the doctor or pharmacist is the first or second source of health information. In Germany, for example, 47% of consumers look to a health practitioner for advice, while in the U.K. the number is 62%.

France tops the charts with almost 70% of consumers reporting that a doctor or pharmacist is their number one source of information.

The interesting comparison comes when you look at the second choice. In most countries, it’s friends and family. This holds true in France and the U.K., but in Germany, a higher percentage (28%) go to the Internet for health information, while 20% talk to friends and family. Even in the U.K., friends and family only edges out the Internet by a very slim margin (19% compared to 16%).

As a point of comparison, both the U.S. and China rank the Internet higher than friends and family, although in both countries, doctors and pharmacists still came in first.

When you look at the factors that actually influence a purchasing decision, not surprisingly, doctor recommendations continue to lead the way. In France, almost 75% say this is their main influencer when making a purchasing decision. Quality is the second highest factor at more than 65%.

In the U.K., similarly, doctors rank first, with 58% of consumers saying they are influenced by health practitioner advice, followed by quality at 54%.  Here, too, Germany is a bit different, with quality as an influencer having the higher percentage at 59%, followed by doctors at 51% and price a strong third with 42%. For comparison’s sake, in the U.S. and China, doctor recommendations were about even with quality as the primary influencer of purchase decisions.

Across all countries — Germany, France, U.K., U.S. and China — the lowest ranking factors were taste and sustainability concerns. The latter is interesting given all the talk in the media about sustainability and how much consumers are concerned about the issue.

Related news

Sustainable grains present a healthy growth opportunity

Sustainable grains present a healthy growth opportunity

3 Oct 2024

Food insights provider SPINS unveils the latest trends in the sustainable grains field, exploring how seven leading grains show healthy growth despite challenges in the global value chain.

Read more 
Which food and beverage brands made TIME’s Most Influential Companies list?

Which food and beverage brands made TIME’s Most Influential Companies list?

2 Oct 2024

Chickpea pasta, prebiotic sodas, food boxes, non-alcoholic beer, and a soil carbon marketplace are the specialties of the five food and beverage brands that earned a spot on TIME’s 2024 list.

Read more 
Will we see a wave of NPD that focuses on insulin management?

Will we see a wave of NPD that focuses on insulin management?

1 Oct 2024

As a new study finds protein and fats can help manage insulin, food manufacturers are building on emerging GLP-1 platforms and supporting nutritional guidance.

Read more 
New environmental food scoring standards emerge

New environmental food scoring standards emerge

30 Sep 2024

EIT Food and Foundation Earth collaborate to launch environmental food scoring for products entering the global supply chain.

Read more 
Holistic health trends shape Gen Z and Millennial preferences for functional products

Holistic health trends shape Gen Z and Millennial preferences for functional products

26 Sep 2024

Research from FMCG Gurus points to the fact that functional products are seen as a key step towards holistic regimens that focus on a healthier lifestyle where the aim is prevention rather than cure.

Read more 
Danone removes NutriScore from products

Danone removes NutriScore from products

20 Sep 2024

Following an algorithm update that gives some of its sweetened drinks a worse score, Danone has removed the front-of-pack label, NutriScore, from all of its products – putting profit before public health, say campaigners.

Read more 
Mood and brain health top of mind for US consumers

Mood and brain health top of mind for US consumers

18 Sep 2024

There is strong growth for cognitive and mental health supplements in the US, according to a Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ) report that examines growth prospects for 22 specific health conditions.

Read more 
Indonesia introduces new halal certification system

Indonesia introduces new halal certification system

9 Sep 2024

International food and beverage companies importing halal products into Indonesia need to adhere to new rules after the country introduced a new halal certification system.

Read more 
Zoe launches ‘whole food supplement’ at Waitrose

Zoe launches ‘whole food supplement’ at Waitrose

31 Jul 2024

Personalised nutrition startup Zoe has launched a whole food “supplement” made with nuts, seeds, and functional mushrooms that can be sprinkled on top of any meal to enhance gut health and nutrition.

Read more 
Functional mushroom products flourish in the US

Functional mushroom products flourish in the US

15 Jul 2024

From lion’s mane to reishi, functional mushroom supplements and fortified food and drink products are gaining in popularity among young US consumers, according to Nutrition Business Journal data.

Read more