USA
GNC launches ‘wellness coaches’ with new ad campaign
US supplement retailing giant GNC has rolled out a new ad campaign which emphasizes their focus on personalization.
One of the key messages in the new commercial is, “Whatever you’re into, or wanna get into, we’ll help you get your goal on.”
Joshua Schall of J. Schall Consulting told NutraIngredients-USA, “The newest ‘There for you’ is a big change from the ‘Programs that fit’ campaign of 2019 for GNC. They have moved past event-based selling and are now positioning themselves as a retailer that can add value to your healthy lifestyle...however personalized it is.”
Schall added that GNC was successful in highlighting diverse lifestyles that aren’t centered around the traditional gym experience.
“GNC seems to be attempting to distance itself from the damaging consumer perception that they are mostly a place for male gym rats,” said Schall. “They show it right at the beginning to say ‘we are still here for you’ but quickly pivot to the remaining commercial making consumers realize they are so much more today. This is a smart move by GNC because these male gym rats have been the first and most aggressive consumer category to shift to a self-directed purchase path with buying active nutrition products online at a retailer like Amazon.”
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Asia
Probiotics most popular non-vitamin / mineral pick for children
Almost 20% of Japanese boys and girls consumer probiotic supplements, making them the most popular non-vitamin and non-mineral dietary supplement for children in the country, according to a recent survey.
Data published in Nutrients indicated that, among supplement users, probiotics consumption was 18.2% and 18.5% in boys and girls, respectively. The prevalence of probiotic supplement use was higher in younger children (one to three years of age, 22.1%; four to six years of age, 33.8%).
The survey of 55,038 mothers of preschool- or school-aged children in Japan revealed that, among all children, 7.6% were currently using dietary supplements, 22.1% regularly took medicine, and 3.2% were concomitantly using dietary supplements and medicine.
Vitamin C was the most popular individual vitamin supplement (7.1%). Individual vitamins were more popular among HS than younger age groups in girls, but no differences were observed between age groups in boys.
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Europe
Italy sets maximum THC levels in supplements
The Italian Ministry of Health has set the maximum level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) permitted in food supplements at 2 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg).
The decree updates a November 2018 notification to the European Commission (EC) to set maximum THC levels in supplements and foodstuffs containing Cannabis sativa L. derivates.
Maximum levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were also set for seeds and seed flour (2mg/kg) and oil obtained from seeds (5mg/kg).
Speaking to NutraIngredients-Europe, Luca Bucchini, managing director of Hylobates Consulting, said: “The decree gives legal certainty to the use of some hemp derivatives such as oil from seeds, seeds and hemp flour.
“It also establishes an official analytical method (the one recommended by the EC). It will mean that such hemp derivatives can be used with more certainty, and that robust analytical protocols can be set up.
“Importantly the decree allows the addition of other hemp derivatives with minimal effort, should those recognized as not novel.”
