Asian nutraceutical consumers demand flexibility – in their lifestyles and their packaging
Consumers in Asia have a long history of using supplements, functional foods, and botanicals that they believe support their health and wellbeing. While the efficacy of some of these traditional methods is up for debate, this legacy makes it unsurprising that many Asian consumers are highly receptive to new nutraceutical products today.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, and with health and wellness forced into the spotlight, many traditional remedies have started to re-emerge with cutting-edge branding and ultra-modern packaging to appeal to younger generations1. At the same time, a new wave of science-backed nutraceuticals is sweeping the market, and consumers are responding enthusiastically.
Consumer behaviour is driving growth
These two trends stem from the two key demographics driving the growth in nutraceuticals. On one hand, consumers in countries like China and Japan are getting older2, and as such they focus more on products with medicinal or cognitive benefits. On the other, many consumers in Asia outside of these two countries are getting younger3, and these younger generations are focused on convenient ways to eat and live more healthily. A Mordor Intelligence report found that millennials in the region are more engaged with fitness activities, driving an increase in demand for functional beverages like pre-mixed protein drinks and ready-to-mix powders.
Unsurprisingly, with the pandemic still fresh in the minds of many Asian consumers, immune health supplements4 rich in vitamins and minerals are key drivers of market growth. They are followed by functional botanicals, as consumers look for tried-and-trusted traditional products with a modern twist.
However, these desires don’t mean they will accept product health and nutrition claims on blind faith. Today’s consumers want to see the evidence that supports any supposed benefits before they buy into a product’s claims.
What does this mean for packaging?
The nutraceutical market and the APAC region are both incredibly diverse. Given that modern nutraceutical formats include everything from gels and tablets to mixable powders and functional beverages, it stands to reason that versatility is key to servicing this diversity. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, flexible packaging formats offer the versatility needed to tailor each solution to meet a customer’s needs.
For example, the same robust laminate material can create heavyweight bags for powdered supplements and lightweight stick wraps, covering both bulk and single-serve applications for the same product. As an example, our material expertise and technological capabilities mean not only do we have a wide portfolio of sustainable materials available, but we also excel in the production of foil laminates, which have a wide range of applications across many different pack formats. This helps us support brands looking to meet the varied needs of consumers.
At Parkside, we can produce both large bags and stick wraps – plus any other format of flexible packaging you can think of – meaning we can easily use our reprographics process to ensure your brand identity is replicated precisely across all pack formats.
This consistency is important. 45% of consumers would be influenced today to buy a product if it contained a branded ingredient they recognised5. Consistently replicating your brand identity across all your packaging formats is critical to building trust with these consumers, meaning they will recognise and be encouraged to try different nutraceutical products within a product range to find one that works for them.
Convenience is king
The versatility and consistency offered by flexible packaging make it simple for us to develop packs that meet another key consumer need – convenience. Increased urbanisation and the fast pace of modern life means many consumers across Asia are living much busier lifestyles6. Many may not have the time or inclination to mix up a protein shake or a botanical smoothie themselves, but they will happily enjoy a ready-to-consume, single-serve, portable equivalent featuring the same nutraceutical products.
Again, flexible packaging excels here, enabling brands to stock pouches and sachets that consumers can grab, tear open, and consume on-the-go. Depending on the application, a paper-based laminate may be appropriate or, in the case of gel and liquid products that require higher barrier performance, a monopolymer pack may be more appropriate. These packs can be fitted with capped spouts for an easier drinking experience and are fully recyclable post consumer use.
Customisation and personalisation
The trend towards personalised nutrition and wellness is exploding in Asia7, with some reports naming it as the fastest-growing region in the personalised nutrition market. As consumer awareness of proactive health management continues to grow in the region – alongside average incomes8 – many are looking beyond off-the-shelf nutraceutical products and building their own wellness plans. The growth of eCommerce and subscription services is only making this easier and more accessible for the Asian consumer.
The packaging required to support this trend must be produced both quickly and consistently, ensuring that each run meets the same high quality standards. At Parkside, we can support customers in the custom nutrition space thanks to our highly efficient supply chains and processes, which result in consistently high quality packaging and ensure standards never drop.
We have the market expertise, leading technology, design skill, and robust global supply chains required to help your nutraceutical business take advantage of the many opportunities in the APAC market. Our vast portfolio of materials and pack formats means nutraceutical brands have no shortage of options when launching or rebranding products with cutting-edge flexible packaging solutions, designed with the future in mind.
To learn more about what we offer, why not get in touch today?
