Source: LOHAS Weekly Newsletter
Published: Saturday, September 01, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO—Market research firm SPINS, based here, in cooperation with FreeSamples.com, has recently released a new report on consumer involvement levels in eight lifestyle segments within what SPINS defines as the Health and Wellness market.

The “AZU Report,” which includes a survey of 6,300 members of FreeSamples.com, presents an analysis of the shift from demographics to lifestyle, and from “natural” to “health and wellness,” as well as an introduction to the “Lifestyles of Health and Wellness” market, its favored brands, and the buyer types within these segments.

“With the increasing interest in health and wellness among mainstream shoppers, it’s more important than ever to really understand these consumers and what is motivating them,” says Paddy Spence, CEO of SPINS.

The report cites SPINS and Natural Business LOHAS Journal research (see LOHAS Journal, March/April 2000, page 32) and documents what it quantifies as $300 billion in spending in the Health and Wellness market within eight different segments: Sports and Fitness, $20 billion; Healthy Eating and Dietary Restrictions, $22 billion; Preventative Healthcare, $41 billion; Personal Development, $10 billion; Social Responsibility and Environmentally Engaged, $157 billion; Gourmet/Specialty, $48 billion; and Weight Loss, $5 billion.

SPINS reports that the highest growth is in Preventative healthcare, while the Gourmet/Specialty and Environmentally Engaged categories are showing medium development, and Healthy Eating and Personal Development are showing low development.

Present data suggest that skews in demographics have become less pronounced as food/drug/mass distribution grows, revealing lower income and education and larger household sizes. The report predicts that as demographics broaden and natural becomes more mainstream, future trends will lead manufacturers to target consumers through lifestyle marketing approaches.

It notes that Preventative Healthcare consumers and Sports and Fitness consumers tend to be closely tied together. For example, the study reports that hardcore Preventative Healthcare consumers tend to use sports nutrition products, such as supplements, sports drinks and energy bars, and that consumers are becoming increasingly interested in functional foods and beverages. When questioning “hardcore” Sports and Fitness consumers about their use of nutritional products, 60.4 percent said they used them to enhance athletic performance, while only 39 percent said they did not.

The survey also discovered that organic consumers are more likely to purchase gourmet/specialty items, noting that approximately 80 percent of consumers who purchase organic products also buy gourmet/specialty products.

Furthermore, it suggested that one way to gain access to consumers in the gourmet/specialty category is to market products with organic ingredients.

For more detailed information about “The AZU Report,” contact 415.957.4410, or visit www.spins.com.