Key Takeaways

•  Every 1 in 4 Americans considers their digestive health as a critical part of their overall health.
• Americans are not only familiar with probiotics, but they are also pretty aware of the benefits associated with them. According to the survey findings, the top three reasons for consuming probiotics include supporting gut health (51%), fostering general health and wellness (38%), and supporting immune health (33%).
•  50% of respondents from the CH Hansen survey cited that they are very familiar or somewhat familiar with the gut microbiome concept.
• 55% of respondents believe that staying hydrated helps maintain proper gut health.  
• Flavor and trust are the top motivating factors for consumers to choose and stay with a particular probiotic product. Reasonable pricing is also a key factor in choosing a probiotic product.  

Introduction

Findings

Insight #1: Growing Interest of American Consumers in Digestive Health

•  Every 1 in 4 Americans considers their digestive health as a critical part of their overall health.
• 24% of American respondents in an International Food Information Council (IFIC) survey highlighted their digestive health as the most important aspect of their overall health.
•  More than half of the survey respondents identified themselves as familiar with probiotics, and nearly half of those claimed that they actively consume probiotics.
• Americans are not only familiar with probiotics, but they are also pretty aware of the benefits associated with them. According to the survey findings, the top three reasons for consuming probiotics include supporting gut health (51%), fostering general health and wellness (38%), and supporting immune health (33%).
•  24% of the surveyed respondents admitted to consuming probiotics multiple times a day, while 36% claimed that they take probiotics once a day.

Insight 2: While Familiar, Consumers are not Entirely Informed about Probiotics and their Food Sources.

• For both probiotics and prebiotics, the top food sources opted by Americans include yogurt or kefir, fruits and vegetables, and dietary supplements. Nearly half of probiotic consumers (47%) are seeking probiotics from fruits and vegetables when they are not the obvious source of probiotics, and generally, they do not contain any probiotic or prebiotic elements.  
• Another popular misconception among American consumers is that yogurt or kefir are good sources of prebiotics. 38% of consumers turn to yogurt or kefir for prebiotics.
• 19% of surveyed consumers stated that they do not actively consume probiotics since they do not have any knowledge of common food sources for probiotics.
• Another consumer awareness survey conducted by Danone, the popular yogurt brand, found that nearly half (47%), of American adults who participated in the survey are misinformed about prebiotics; they believe that all products with live and active cultures labels are prebiotic products.
• The survey also found that less than half of the respondents knew and understood the link between the microbiome and digestive health.

Insight #3: Typical Consumer Buying Behavior

• According to the research findings of the CHR Hansen survey, nearly 4 out of 10 probiotic consumers across 16 countries check for specific bacteria on product labels before buying it.
• 56% of consumers cite being aware of what they are ingesting as the critical reason for checking for specific bacteria.  
•  44% want to gain a particular health benefit, and so they look for specific bacteria that can provide them with the specific health benefit.
• 31% do this because they want probiotic strains with the highest health benefits.  
•  The most preferred products for consuming probiotics include dairy food (52%), cheese (10%), plant-based fermented food (9%), and juices (7%).
• 37% of consumers eat dairy yogurt daily to consume probiotics compared to 33% of consumers who consume it weekly.  
• Consumers are also inclined to eat more probiotic products if available; products that consumers are interested in consuming include cheese, fruit or vegetable, juice, high protein dairy, drinking milk, and kids' yogurt.  

Insight #4: Awareness about the Microbiome

•  50% of respondents from the CHR Hansen survey cited that they are very familiar or somewhat familiar with the gut microbiome concept.

• 81% of these respondents associate the concept with good gut health.  

• Probiotics are consumed mainly during breakfast (36%), and snacks and lunch diets have lesser probiotic elements.  
• Consumers are increasingly buying probiotic products mainly to improve their gut health.
• 56% of respondents consume food products with probiotics to improve intestinal transit. 
• 55% do it to improve their intestinal flora.
•  46% eat probiotic foods to help prevent gastrointestinal disorders.
• 37% are motivated to do so because probiotic food might positively affect the human microbiome.  

•  Nearly (58%) of global consumers know of the potential benefits that bacteria in the digestive tract may have on aspects of health and well-being. Consumers are increasingly being aware of the connection between the gut and the brain and how gut health affects the overall well-being of a person.
• 53% of consumers have highlighted their interest in products that promote brain health.  

Insight #5: Popular Beliefs Associated with Gut Health, Gut Microbiome, and Probiotics

• 55% of respondents believe that staying hydrated helps maintain proper gut health.  
• 35% think that consuming a variety of plant-based foods can also help in promoting gut health.
• According to 29% of the respondents, the gut microbiome influences overall health.  

 

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Insight #6 Why Use Probiotic Products, and Why from the Same Brand?

•  34% of consumers were recommended to consume a probiotic product by a healthcare professional, 26% were suggested by a friend or a co-worker, and 22% were advised by an advertisement on a TV or magazine.
• Flavor and trust are the top motivating factors for consumers to choose and stay with a particular probiotic product. Reasonable pricing is also a key factor in choosing a probiotic product.  

 

Source

 

Research Strategy