Mainstream versus hardcore: Sports nutrition consumption differs by activity level, Prinova finds

23 Jun 2023 --- A new survey by Prinova, a provider of customized premixes and blends, has uncovered diverse needs and goals among sports nutrition consumers in Europe. The research shows that people who exercise less often are more interested in weight management, immune health, taste and texture than those who work out daily.

The research highlights the striking differences among physically active consumers purchasing habits.

“Sports nutrition has emerged from its niche of serious athletes, resulting in a more mainstream consumer base. This research suggests that people who exercise less regularly tend to have different goals from their more ‘hardcore’ counterparts and are more likely to have needs that overlap with other categories, such as immune health and weight management,” says Tony Gay, technical sales director, nutrition, at Prinova Europe. 

“The key takeaway is that there is no ‘typical’ sports nutrition consumer, and as the market becomes more fragmented, there will be growing demand for innovative bespoke and hybrid products targeting more than one goal.”

Surveying “mainstream” and “hardcore” consumers
The survey polled 1277 consumers across five European countries who use sports nutrition products and exercise at least twice a week. They were asked to choose their top five goals from 15 options. Energy (71%), post-exercise recovery (51%) and muscle growth (48%) were the most popular choices.

However, the results also reveal a split between “mainstream” and “hardcore” sports nutrition users. 

Those who exercised twice a week were more likely to value immune health more than those who exercised daily (20% compared to 11%), weight management (24% vs 16%) and digestive health (11% vs 7%). 

They were also more influenced by taste and texture when buying sports nutrition products (33% compared to 22%).

The survey was conducted in April 2023 in the UK, France, Germany Italy and Spain. Prinova will publish the full results in a report.

According to Innova Market Insights, sports nutrition is an expanding Category, with launches growing 9% year-over-year growth globally from 2021 and 2022. 

The top positionings of global sports nutrition launches tracked in 2022 were “high source of protein” at 42% and “energy and alertness” at 33%.

Edited By Marc Cervera