Data from its new “Online engagement with probiotics in the Brazil” report indicated that immunity was a close third on the list. For comparison, digestive health topped the rankings in the US, followed closely by immunity, while women’s health was a distant third.
Lumina Intelligence, launched recently by NutraIngredients’ parent company William Reed Business Media, offers granular data on products and ingredients, including online engagement data for 116 probiotic products in Brazil linked to 2,816 consumer reviews.
The report also showed that capsules dominate the delivery forms for most of the demographic groups, representing 100% of products for adults, men, women, and seniors. For children, the most common form is packet/sachets/sticks (44% of products), closely followed by chewable tablets (43%).
Brazilian probiotics & dietary supplements
Consumers increasingly rely on reviews when purchasing online, which is why Lumina Intelligence tracks these.
According to a blog post at vendasta.com (updated Sept 2018):
1. 92% of consumers read online user reviews, compared to 88% in 2014
2. 88% of online shoppers integrate reviews into their purchase decision
3. 40% of consumers form an opinion by reading one to three reviews, compared to 29% in 2014
4. The top factor used by consumers to judge a business is "Star rating"
As reported earlier this year by NutraIngredients-USA, Brazil’s ANVISA is working on a new law for food supplements, which would include a list of permitted ingredients and the maximum levels for each, while select health claims will also be permitted.
The regulatory agency is paying specific attention to the probiotics category, with the potential for it to be treated differently. The International Probiotics Association has held meetings with ANVISA in recent years, to share industry’s expertise and guidance on how best to approach the category.
Free-from claims
Lumina data also revealed that 47% of probiotic products available online in Brazil use some kind of free-from claim, which is significantly lower than 71% in the US, but higher than China, were only 16% of brands carry any kind of ‘free-from’ claim.
The most common free-from claim in Brazil is “gluten-free”, followed by soy-free and dairy-free.
Beyond probiotics
The Lumina Intelligence platform, which is initially focused on probiotics and will soon expand to sports nutrition and sustainability, allows for users to customize their dashboard.
“There is a lot of customization available on the dashboard. They can research who their competitors are, where their competitor’s products are focused in terms of strains. They can also search to find all the science behind certain strains,” said Ewa Hudson Head of Market Insights – Lumina Intelligence.
ABOUT LUMINA INTELLIGENCE
Lumina Intelligence is an insights service delivering a unique perspective on high-growth food and nutrition markets brought to you by William Reed, publisher of food and drink news sites including Nutraingredients-USA and FoodNavigator-USA.
Lumina Intelligence has been created to equip the industry with tools to measure the evolution of science, online consumer engagement and regulation and its impact on product formulation, labeling and new product development.
Its aim is to help users pinpoint trends and opportunities in niche markets, helping maximize the chance for success for new product launches.
With data from over 20 countries, Lumina provides in-depth ingredient analysis and product labeling information across Probiotics, Sports Nutrition and Sustainability.