N°64 - Ingrédients / Extraits végétaux Food supplements and plants What is consumers’ opinion? What are the relationships between herbal supplements and their consumers? Are these latter involved in their food supplement choices? What are their selection criteria? What would they like to see on the packaging? Below are the answers to these questions as well as the results of a qualitative and quantitative research. Some of them, quite challenging. For a consumer, a natural food supplement their dietary defi ciencies (58% and 50% of res- is formulated with plants (37% of consu-ponses). A strong demand that triggers supple- mers). It is also free from colourings andment consumption throughout the whole year chemical additives (28%). As to their natural(for 64% of consumers) because of their preven- and/or organic origin, this latter was mentionedtive and therapeutic benefi ts (Editor’s note: Phy- by only 15% and 11% of interviewees. For 18%tolia’s research study consisted of two phases: of consumers, a natural supplement “improvesa qualitative one under the form of round tables health and well-being”. The concept of “natural”with food supplement consumers - which might is therefore intrinsically related to plants, and soexplain the very high rate of consumption, and 098 does the concept of “effectiveness”. a quantitative one, conducted among 250 food Over half of consumers resort to food supple-supplements consumers. ments for well-being purposes and to offset Above all, consumers are looking for natural and effective products formulated with plants. If their price and composition are important for many of them, their traceability and organic WHO ARE THE CONSUMERS OF ORGANIC origin are less so. Several remarks are to be PRODUCTS? made: the fact that a product is locally-made is not decisive for more than half of consumers; First of all, the “large” consumers of organic food over 60% of consumers consider that the brand supplements: 72% throughout the whole year. For is not important or of little importance when them, food supplements are synonymous with health buying a food supplement; as for the packa- benefi ts: strengthening of the immune defences ging, nearly eight in ten consumers say it is not for 41%, joint well-being (39%), beauty of the skin, important or of little importance. hair and nails (33%). For them, it is the plant that “takes precedence”. For 55% thereof, organic food So what are consumers’ criteria supplements are based on plants. The fi rst element when choosing a supplement? that should be put forward on the packaging is the plant itself (30% of the interviewees). In the top trio of the assistance tools used by These consumers are looking for advice. Hence, they informed consumers in their choice-making are conditioned in their choice of food supplements: advice received in organic stores (41%), process, the search of information on the pharmacist’s advice (38%), medical prescription Internet that stands out with 45%, followed by (34%), search of information on the Internet (34%). pharmacist’s advice (42%) and, far behind, by Finally, the manufacturing process should be medical prescription (25%). Pharmacies, and a responsible one for 44% of consumers. along them drugstores, remain, despite all, the favourite place for the purchase of food sup- plements (68%), ahead of ecommerce web- sites (32%), which occupy the same position as organic stores (32%).A “ranking” that ■ / Juillet - Août - Septembre 2018 / N°64 / L’Actualité des Ingrédients Fonctionnels & Santé