Abstract
The U.S. weight control products market, defined for this report as liquid/powder weight control drinks and candy/tablet diet aids, experienced substantial declines between 2002 and 2005, and while 2006 signifies a slight turnaround in sales, the market remains shaky.
This report takes a comprehensive look at weight loss products, including:
- How the obesity epidemic in the U.S. and its far-reaching consequences on consumer health are influencing weight control product manufacturing.
- The nature of various challenges facing the market, including FDA and FTC scrutiny, consumer-based personal injury lawsuits, competition from weight loss programs such as Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers, and how these pose direct threats to the industry.
- How public perception of weight control products can best be guided by an attentive and knowledgeable sales environment within supply and retail channels.
- Competing more effectively through advertising that avoids questionable yet widely used devices, such as consumer/professional testimonials, before/after photos, and peppering ads with scientific jargon-none of which has reversed a declining market and may have contributed to weakness.
- The incidence of consumer dieting and use of OTC diet aids, as well as attitudes toward specific products, methods utilized for short-term weight loss, and careful attention to how ethnic consumers use and view these products.
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