Abstract
Regulatory Curbs on Advertisements Compel Sports and Fitness Nutrition Companies to Back their
Claims with Quality Products
With European regulatory authorities clamping down on companies that exaggerate the efficiency of
their sports and fitness nutrition products, manufacturers are forced to back their tall claims with
quality offerings. They also have to take a proactive role in disseminating credible scientific
research to not only improve end-user understanding of their products but also to undo the damage
created by negative press coverage of the poor efficacy of these products. Since the European Union
(EU) Food Labelling Directive does not define the conditions for health claims, the European
Commission (EC) is reviewing these regulations and the proposed changes are currently in the
consultation phase.
This Frost & Sullivan analysis provides an overview and update of the European sports and
fitness nutrition markets. These markets are divided into energy and nutrition bar, meal replacement
bar, meal replacement powder, ready-to-drink shakes, protein powders and creatine segments. The
research service enables companies to adjust their positioning strategies to benefit from the
changing markets and obtain maximum return on investment.
Increasing Fitness- and Diet-consciousness in Europe Drives Sales of Sports and Fitness Nutrition
Products
Sports and fitness nutrition products are no longer targeted only at professional athletes as
mainstream consumers are becoming increasingly fitness- and diet-conscious. In Europe, between 2000
and 2003, there has been a 15 per cent rise in the number of people who run and jog and enrolments
in gymnasiums have also improved substantially. "Issues such as obesity-related deaths and the
adverse effects of eating the wrong foods have driven people closer to the concept of health
food," says the analyst of this research. "The public is also becoming more educated about
health issues through books, magazines and other media."
Manufacturers are not just offering functional benefits but have also improved the taste and
texture profiles of their products to tap into the mainstream consumer segments. The new variants in
taste include cookies and cream, vanilla crisp, chocolate peanut, apple/cinnamon, banana, chocolate,
cappuccino, malt nut, oatmeal/raisin, peanut butter, wild berry or raspberry and cream stripes.
Market participants are also hoping to enter niche segments by introducing energy bars such as the
Luna bar from ClifBar, which are made specially for women.
Innovation to Enhance Product Efficacy and Drive Market Further
"Along with the more apparent developments on the taste and texture front, there have been
significant improvements in product efficacy," notes the analyst. "Technology innovations
such as timely release products and new protein delivery systems are expected to drive the sports
and fitness nutrition market." Although, the lack of variety in delivery forms and weaker taste
profile had severely hampered sales in segments such as creatine and protein powders they are likely
to revive with the help of novel technologies.
"The convenience of delivery has ensured widespread adoption of products such as
ready-to-drink liquid foods and supplements in the form of bars," observes the analyst. The
segments that have expanded substantially include energy and nutrition bar, meal replacement bar and
ready-to-drink shakes.
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