Mobility industry targets younger consumers and “heterogenous” seniors worldwide as part of wider immunity strategy

28 Oct 2020 --- Physical exercise is crucial to balancing a healthy immune system – a major concern throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased attention on well-being has brought mobility health concerns to the fore.

Moreover, the mobility sector is increasingly including younger adults, diverging from the traditional target consumer group of seniors who seek to address their muscle aches, joint and bone health.

NutritionInsight speaks with industry experts about mobility finding its place in the ever-growing immunity scene, reassessing a traditional consumer group in terms of age demographics and geographical regions, as well as burgeoning trends.

Fitting mobility in with immunity
The pandemic has rapidly shifted consumers’ attention to their immune health – resulting in an explosion in the sector, says Jaume Reguant, healthcare director at Bioiberica. Part of strengthening the immune system is physical exercise and keeping fit, he highlights. 

“One study showed that consumer interest in exercise in Australia, the UK and the US surged at the start of lockdown and remains at higher levels than before the pandemic. Mobility, of course, plays an essential role in keeping healthy and active in the long-term.”

“It’s a goal of product formulators to try to attract younger consumers – and this often proves difficult,” Fink of PLT Health highlights.As such, it’s not that mobility needs to keep up with the immune health trend, adds Stephane Vouche, marketing manager, at Lonza Capsules and Health Ingredients. 

Instead, consumer interest in immune health is “growing in tandem” with interest in overall well-being, including maintaining joint health and strength over time, he notes.

Redefining the mobility consumer
The vast majority of sales of mobility and joint health ingredients come from an over-40 demographic, says Steve Fink, vice president of marketing at PLT Health Solutions.

“In fact, it’s a goal of product formulators to try to attract younger consumers – and this often proves difficult. Things might be changing here, however.”

PLT Health Solutions recently paired with Laila Nutra on a clinical study testing the former’s Dynagenix joint health ingredient. The study focused on a younger cohort than typical joint health studies to address “achieving peak performance” as well as “fixing what’s broken,” says Fink.

Meanwhile, rising healthcare costs, particularly in countries where healthcare is privatized, has emphasized the importance of taking preventative measures ahead of old age, notes Pauline Huang, marketing manager from Rousselot Health and Nutrition.

Active people engaged in high-intensity exercise or sports tend to take joint health supplements for joint support and aid recovery, says Suhail Ishaq, president of BioCell Technology. 

“Joint discomfort prevalence increases in tandem with age. Therefore starting a supplement like BioCell Collagen in the mid-20s or 30s as a preventative measure cannot hurt.”

“In an aging population, mobility is a top concern,” says Ishaq.Also, at this year’s Vitafoods Virtual Expo, NutritionInsight spoke with key suppliers about how healthy aging is not just about seniors.

Seniors at the core
Despite the growing younger consumers group, the key audience in the mobility scene still consists of older generations, according to Reguant of Bioiberica. 

UN data highlights that by 2050, the over-65 demographic is expected to represent 16 percent of the entire market, up from 9 percent in 2019.

“It’s therefore essential that companies continue to target these consumers even as the market and the products available diversify,” Reguant maintains.

Divergent elderly
Nevertheless, seniors aren’t just a one-size-fits-all category. Older consumers are “a very heterogeneous group” that can’t be uniformly categorized, according to Rebecca Cuthbertson, global head of medical nutrition at Fonterra Medical.

“From our research, we see five core market segments, ranging from ‘unwavering indulgers’ who are least likely to change their behaviors, even for health reasons, right through to ‘active seekers’ who are purposefully seeking improvements in their health, utilizing nutrition, exercise and holistic measures,” she says.

Fonterra Medical has further observed that senior consumers are “very much open” to trying new products. Still, their purchasing decisions are heavily influenced by the efficacy of nutritional solutions for maintaining mobility.

“We know that older consumers, particularly for the mobility category, will cycle different products until they find a one that suits them best,” Ishaq of BioCell Technology chimes in.

“Randomized controlled clinical trials continue to be the gold standard for proving the efficacy of nutraceuticals. Marketers that effectively leverage the science while telling a compelling story tend to do better in our experience,” he details.

Agreeing that older consumers are “far from being stuck in their ways,” Vouche at Lonza adds that consumers of different demographics may turn to different channels for their trusted information.

Advancing age is less accepted in Western countries, in stark contrast to the APAC region.“For older consumers, for example, it might be particularly important to hear potential solutions directly from a healthcare practitioner,” he underscores.

Regional differences in respect for age
Effective product positioning for seniors depends hugely on the market, says Rebecca Cuthbertson, global head of medical nutrition at Fonterra Medical.

Talking about “older consumers” or “aging” in general is less well-accepted in Australia or New Zealand, with more brand focus on anti-aging as a segment, she highlights.

To meet this need while still targeting older consumers, Cuthbertson points out that functional claims on strong bones, strong muscles or vitality may resonate more clearly – and most importantly, inoffensively. 

Meanwhile, aging is celebrated more in Asian cultures. “In APAC, for example, people gain respect as they age, making them comfortable with the idea of growing older and consuming supplements marketed toward senior consumers,” adds Huang from Rousselot.

“We can see a stark contrast in Western countries, where individuals in their mid-50s and 60s do not identify themselves as part of the ‘silver population’ and are unlikely to buy products that are positioned as healthy aging solutions,” she details.

Trending in mobility
The mobility market is predicted to innovate via three avenues – bioavailability, delivery formats and personalization.

Functional foods are on the rise, as consumers seek to take a holistic approach to their physical health. This is also spurring demand for convenient delivery formats – with consumers preferring a “one product fits all” solution that can be taken easily and on-the-go. 

Lonza found in its research that convenient, once-a-day supplementation is a key priority for as many as 72 percent of German consumers. 

“One of the key things formulators should look for is flexible, low-dose ingredients that work well in holistic products with other ingredients,” says Reguant.

Functional F&B are on the rise, addressing pill fatigue and providing convenient on-the-go solutions for busy consumers.Bioavailability piggybacks off of the optimizing ingredient formulation trend. “Although a large proportion of people do not fully grasp the term ‘bioavailability,’ they do understand that it is important for a supplement to be well absorbed by the body,” says Huang.

“To build consumer trust and loyalty, it is becoming more important than ever to provide scientific evidence in consumer-friendly language for the bioavailability of the ingredients used to formulate products,” she details.

Personalization on the rise
Meanwhile, the trend for personalized nutrition can be attributed to growing consumer demand for tailored solutions that address specific health concerns, says Huang. 

“Given the fact that supplement users are proactively looking to improve their health, it comes as no surprise that they seek the customization that will grant them more control over their well-being.” 

In the immediate term, however, Cuthbertson flags that recovery from respiratory disease and negating the impacts of a sedentary lifestyle will be key for all ages – but primarily the older generation who are the worst impacted by the novel coronavirus infection and lockdown. 

“Considering ways to exercise while at home, alongside consuming quality protein at the right levels help to support mature muscles are both key trends where we expect to see innovation,” she concludes.

By Anni Schleicher