Industry Outlook: Gummy Supplements Continue to Dominate 

Gummy Supplements Still Growing

Gummy growth in the supplement industry has been impressive, with 2021 being a standout year. During this time, gummies captured the highest single market share by format, experiencing record growth of 71.8%. However, it is important to note that growth normalized to a slower rate of 12.1% in 2022. Despite this slowdown, gummies still maintain their top sales status within an industry that only saw overall growth of 1.9%.

Looking ahead, experts project that the growth of gummies will level off at around 5% in the coming years. This suggests that while there may be some moderation in their popularity, no significant declines are expected for this still-growing space.

Pills Still Preferred by Some Consumers

When it comes to consumer preference for supplement formats, tablets and capsules remain the most widely used options among frequent supplement users. In fact, about 59% of these consumers report using tablets as their preferred format, followed closely by capsules at 49%. This preference for pills becomes more pronounced among individuals who take multiple supplement products and have been doing so for longer periods.

Interestingly enough, there is a generational difference when it comes to preferences for gummies versus pills. Baby Boomers tend to have the highest preference for pills compared to other age groups. On the other hand, Generation Z over-indexes on preferring gummies as their go-to format for supplements.

Pill Packets Show Record Growth

Industry estimates show that pill packet sales grew by 45.6% in 2022 and are projected to continue growing at an impressive rate in the coming years. The personalized nutrition market is rapidly growing and pill packets are well-suited for this market due to their affordability, portability, and ease of sorting. Pills can be easily sorted and assembled into sets using elaborate machinery, which is essential for personalized nutrition. In contrast, gummies do not work well with sorting machines. As a result, pill packet sales have been increasing significantly while overall pill sales have declined in the supplement market.

Positive Consumer Outlook

This information highlights how consumer preferences can vary based on factors such as age and experience with supplements. While gummies have experienced significant growth and garnered attention in recent years due to their appealing taste and convenience factor (especially among younger generations), traditional pill formats like tablets and capsules continue to dominate usage among frequent supplement users.

Overall, despite some moderation in its rapid growth rate seen in previous years, the future outlook remains positive for gummies and the supplement industry as a whole, as they continue to hold onto top sales status amidst an ever-evolving market landscape. We have seen firsthand how some of our consumer brand supplement clients are reformulating their products to gummies, and our supplement manufacturing clients are expanding capacity and adding more gummy production lines and formulators.

Conclusion

Despite the slowing growth rate in 2022, gummies continue to maintain their position as the top-selling format in the supplement industry, outpacing other formats such as tablets and capsules. While tablets and capsules remain popular among frequent supplement users, particularly those who have been taking them for longer periods of time, gummies are highly favored by Gen Z consumers. Looking ahead, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, industry projections suggest that gummy sales will level off at around a 5% growth rate in the coming years, indicating a stable market with no anticipated declines.