What’s really important to wellness consumers in 2002

In the wake of the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, and the downturn of the U.S. economy, consumers are looking to wellness as a coping strategy.

This evaluation comes from the Bellevue, Wash.-based Hartman Group’s Wellness Trends 2002 report. Here are some of the highlights of the report:

• Today’s consumers reflect a more general cultural frustration with the nature and efficacy of the current U.S. healthcare system. They haven’t abandoned their conventional, managed care facilities and physicians. Instead, they appear to integrate alternative practitioners where they perceive the most efficacy (holistic care, long-term well-being, chronic conditions) and retain conventional medical professionals for serious, acute care.

• Consumers are pursuing wellness as a coping strategy–as an antidote to the stress and accelerated pace of today’s society. Some consumers make incremental lifestyle adaptations toward wellness, while others utilize wellness as a concrete pragmatic solution.

According to the report, wellness lifestyle trends to watch for in 2002 are the following:

• Retail outlets with a smaller footprint and neighborhood presence will increase. These outlets will cater to consumers on the go who are still craving a retail experience.

• Consumers will shift toward wellness retailers that make their lives easier. They will look for places that are not so overwhelming that decision-making becomes a chore. They will seek people to help them navigate the massive amounts of wellness information toward products that are easy to understand and easy to prepare.

• Consumers will expect wellness companies to focus less on producing the latest and greatest item and more on making sure that their current products maintain high quality.

• Although the dietary supplement category as a whole is lackluster, specialty supplements, such as glucosamine/chondroitin and probiotics, will grow on a product-by-product basis.

• Alternative medicine will grow as consumers integrate these therapies with conventional medicine.

• Growth will also be found in economical home remedies, such as natural medicine kits, as well as videotapes and books. There will be an increased use of alternative medicines, especially massage aromatherapy and homeopathics.

• Children and teens will show greater interest in wellness products.

• "On the go" wellness products will be popular.

• An increased focus on prevention will continue. People will turn more to food as medicine and therapy. There will be an increased demand for healthful comfort foods. These foods will replace more extravagant gourmet items.

Sandra Levy

Sandra Levy. What’s really important to wellness consumers in 2002.

Drug Topics

2002;5.