Consumers Spending More on Wellness Products: Report

A new report from the Hartman Group has found that since 2005, spending on wellness products has trended upward, with a larger proportion spent on wellness in fresh categories. The average household now spends $148.48 per month, or 19 percent of all monthly spending, on categories with a wellness halo.

According to the Bellevue, Wash.-based consumer culture consultancy and primary research firm’s “Reimagining Health + Wellness 2010,” the concept of “wellness” is currently undergoing a radical transformation. Over half of all consumers (54 percent) polled by the company said they’ve recently changed their views on health and wellness, with younger shoppers giving stress (51percent) and energy levels (47percent) as reasons for their changing mindsets.

“Increased spending on products beneath a wellness umbrella, particularly in fresh food categories, reflects what we have been witnessing for more than a decade now,” noted Hartman Group president and COO Laurie Demeritt. “Consumer understanding of wellness has moved away from traditional notions of condition treatment and disease prevention, and toward attaining a better quality of life. They are looking for products and services that help them meet their wellness goals and aspirations. With virtually all consumers involved in wellness on some level, this represents tremendous opportunities for CPG manufacturers and retailers.”

This latest research echoes previous Hartman Group Wellness Lifestyle Insights reports showing that health and wellness is no longer a niche market dominated by a small group of consumers. A broader spectrum of shoppers is now coming to equate wellness with quality of life, according to the Hartman Group, which found that consumers are seeking more flexible, simple ways of incorporating wellness into their everyday lives, while viewing indulgence and pleasure as essential to their wellbeing.

Findings, insights and trends in “Reimagining Health + Wellness 2010” are based on new integrated qualitative ethnography and quantitative research and analysis of over 20 years consumer information and tracking. Qualitative ethnographies were fielded in four major U.S. markets, and over 2,700 U.S. adult consumers participated in an online survey. For additional information, contact Blaine Becker at [email protected] or David Wright at [email protected].