Who takes Food Supplements and Why?

Results of a major new study* reveal the consumer trends in the food supplements sector

Food Supplements Europe commissioned IPSOS to conduct a survey exploring how and why EU consumers are using food supplements. Its researchers interviewed more than 13,200 adults in 14 EU countries:

Belgium, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

* Between 17 March and 1 April 2022

A significant majority of EU consumers have used food supplements

88% of respondents
said they had used supplements at some point in their lives

93% of this group
had done so in the previous 12 months

The vast majority of people who take food supplements read the labels

85% of respondents agreed that they
follow the instructions for use provided on-pack

82% said they look at the label to
find the recommended dose and frequency of usage

Consumer trust in food supplements is high

72% of people surveyed said
they were confident in the safety and quality of supplements

Only 6% of respondents
actively disagreed with this statement

The top five most popular food supplements in the EU – based on the percentage of respondents to have used each one in the previous 12 months

1. Vitamin D (46%)
2. Vitamin C (36%)
3. Magnesium (33%)
4. Multivitamin/mineral (29%)
5. Omega 3/fish oil (19%)

The top reasons why people in the EU take food supplements

1. Maintain overall health (52%)
2. Maintain immune system (45%)
3. Energy (29%)
4. Gut/digestive health (17%)
4. Skin, hair and nail health (17%)
5. Heart health/blood pressure (14%)