March 06, 2019

2019 Health and Wellness Consumer Trends Report

The start of a year is a time when health is on our minds more than usual. Winter colds have us dosing up on Strepsils; flu season keeps GPs busy; and New Year’s resolutions have many people optimistically venturing to the gym and spending more time in the vegetable aisle.

Whatever your exercise routine or diet, being “healthy” is always an aspirational state. No matter how much exercise you do, or how many vegetables you eat, most people always feel they could be that bit healthier. This is, in part, due to the fact that the meaning of the word now encapsulates more than it ever has before.

People are looking after their mental wellbeing as much as their physical state. Mindfulness has remained firmly in vogue; meditation is creeping into more of our routines via smartphone apps and e-books; and the latest smartphones are equipped with screen-time limiting features.

Diet trends continue to evolve and sharpen. Veganism is being adopted partly for the planet and partly for the health benefits; in 2018 the keto diet skyrocketed in popularity; and the more relaxed cousin of the 5:2 diet, 16:8 (where you only eat for 8 hours of the day) is set to gain in popularity this year.

Fitness and protein snacks are moving in step with these shifts. Low carbohydrate protein bar, Grenade, took off in a big way at the end of 2018, making it onto the coveted supermarket shelves by the tills. Fashion, too, is now decidedly sporty. So much so that the Attest Fashion Brand Index for Q3 of last year was won by Nike—athleisure is very much in vogue.

Home fitness has undergone a reboot. A New York company, Peloton, offers people the ability to  take part in live classes from their living room. With just a home spinning bike, you can tune into the live class happening in their NY studio. Fitness TVs and mirrors are set to do the same thing this year, exporting the feeling of being at the gym to living rooms everywhere.

And purchasing habits in this domain are becoming more long-term. From vitamin supplements that need regular replacement, to rolling gym memberships, to subscriptions for mental health apps, or weekly shops for protein bars and leafy greens, staying in good health is an ongoing pursuit. A focus on healthy living isn’t a fad, it’s a continuous process that people are building their lives around, and that’s precisely why this market is so lucrative right now.

Our 2019 Health & Wellness report explores all areas of the health space, interrogating  consumers’ attitudes about health & wellness, and shedding light on how brands can most effectively reach and engage with various consumer segments in the sector.

This report is based on research collected from a survey of 2000 nationally representative participants, carried out on the 11th January  2019.