High-quality dietary supplements for a healthy life

Since March vitamins, immune boosters and sleep aids have been the top dietary supplements. Quality is now more important for consumers than quantity.

Ferenc Zabán
assortment manager
dm Magyarország

Assortment manager Ferenc Zabán told our magazine that in the last few months vitamins and immune boosters were the most popular in dm stores too. Dietary supplement sales are growing by double-digit numbers and shoppers are buying more consciously than before. Demand is on the rise for products with high and complex active ingredients. Mr Zabán revealed that an immense volume of vitamin C and multivitamin products can be sold at the moment. He hopes the pandemic has made those consumers discover the dietary supplement category who didn’t care about it before.

Ágnes Vattamány
marketing manager
Bio-Fungi

Mushroom grower Bio-Fungi also observed that consumers have become much more conscious since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. They show increased demand for superfood farmed mushroom, which strengthens the immune system and contains vitamin D, beta-glucan, vitamin B, selenium, folic acid and zinc. Marketing manager Ágnes Vattamány said: mushroom is in line with two current trends – home cooking and vegan diet.

Ákos Pálinkás
managing director
Kellys Healthy Life

Ákos Pálinkás, managing director of Kellys Healthy Life Kft. informed our magazine that in early March demand increased for their high-quality flours, wheat and rye products, and for gluten-free products. Still, the majority of orders are vitamins (mainly D3, D3 + K2 and high-dose C), dietary supplements, seawater nasal sprays, sleeping aids and immune boosters. The company operates 19 online shops and these days they deliver to 600-750 addresses daily, all over Hungary: since early March online sales got 4-5 times bigger.

Tamara Handl
marketing manager
Turbó Diéta

When the coronavirus pandemic started, demand soared for vitamins at Idealbody Kft., but after a while shopper attention shifted to weight loss support range Turbó Diéta. We learned from Turbó Diéta’s marketing manager Tamara Handl that shoppers want reliable, high-quality and easy-to-use products even more than before. In the current situation, the company finds it hard to get to customers, as few people visit shops. Luckily 16-year-old Turbó Diéta has a stable group of buyers.

Attila Kaszás
managing director
Viwa

We can find immune-strengthening vitamins at the top of Viwa’s product ranking. The company’s experience is that shoppers are looking for soft drinks with an added value. Managing director Attila Kaszás talked to us about buyers liking small-size products because they are more practical. Shoppers are more conscious than before and they know many things about vitamins, minerals and the importance of hydration. The company lost HoReCa buyers due to the coronavirus pandemic, so now the focus is on those channels where serving consumers needs is the top priority. //

High nutritional value from whole foods…because food better if sprouted!

Living Foods products are made by sprouting: the biochemical processes that occur in the seed are dried at 40°C using a special technology. As a result of this the plant stops growing, but biological processes and enzyme activity are stabilised at the highest level, and the increased nutrition and vitamin content are preserved in the seed. //

Diet’s and health protection

Adrienn Dorogi
senior researcher
NMS Hungary

Now that the whole world is terrified by the coronavirus pandemic, the prevention of such pandemics in the future is a topical issue. NMS Hungary conducted an online survey with 821 respondents to find out what Hungarians think about the role of their diet in preserving their health, and how the composition of food products affects their buying decisions.

According to 73 percent of the population, diet plays a vital role in staying healthy and preventing illnesses. There are more consumers who think this way among women and those older than 56 years. A growing proportion of shoppers are purchasing free-from foods, even some of those who haven’t been advised by their doctor to do so. No less than 60 percent of respondents bought some kind of free-from food last year, and from them every sixth plans to spend more on such groceries in the future.

Last year 43 percent of the survey’s participants bought organic food products and 25 percent purchased some kind of vegan food. In January 21 percent of respondents said they would spend just as much or even more on food than last year; from them every fifth are willing to pay more for healthier food products. For 40 percent the composition of food products is now more important than it used to be.

The current pandemic situation has shown that the majority of Hungarians don’t think a healthy diet is the main tool in protecting themselves from the virus: they are focusing much more on dietary supplements. In order to strengthen their immune system, twice as many people bought vitamins as the number of those who said they pay special attention to what they are eating, having more fruits and vegetables than before. Selling healthy and free-from groceries can definitely make a retailer attractive in the battle for customers. //

Dietary supplements: Which one to buy?

The Safe Dietary Supplement Programme is controlled by the authorities (OGYÉI-OÉTI) and uses independent laboratory tests to guarantee that a product is of good quality. After more than 12,000 tests the Wessling Knowledge Centre concluded that vitamins, mineral products, sports drinks, probiotics and whey proteins are products with lower risk, while weight-loss products, muscles mass gainers, potency increase products and plant extracts represent higher risk. //