Unprecedented spike in immunity supplement sales
A comprehensive market analysis released by Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ) has revealed immunity supplement sales are expected to reach $5 billion this year. To put this into perspective, almost 10% of all US supplement sales in 2020 will be for immune support.
NBJ’s tracking of the category began in 1999. Not surprisingly, growth spikes have occurred during the years that recorded a severe cold and flu season. Until recently, the highest growth peaked at 9.9% in 2017 – reflecting the USA’s worst flu season in years. In comparison, the global COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a staggering increase of 51.2% for immune supporting supplements.
Whilst NBJ notes that the category cannot expect to maintain a growth rate of over 50%, it does project a lasting boost for immunity supplements. Although the growth curve is expected to normalize in the coming years, a significant increase over pre-COVID forecasts for cold, flu and immunity supplements remains likely.