PMR report: Dietary supplements market in Poland: 3% growth in 2020

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According to the latest PMR forecasts, included in the report “Dietary supplements market in Poland 2020. Development forecasts for 2020-2025”, the sale of dietary supplements in Poland in pharmacies and outside of them (in shops, at petrol stations and all other retail outlets, including e.g. gyms) will increase by 2.6% in 2020 to reach almost PLN 6bn in retail prices*.

Pharmacy sales are a growth driver

The sale of dietary supplements in pharmacies, which were not closed during the lockdown period, is the driving force behind market growth – especially in March 2020, when historically record increases were recorded. At the same time, we estimate that the value of non-pharmacy sales in 2020 will fall by 1% (in the baseline scenario). As far as the categories of supplements are concerned, immune-boosting products and used during infection products, as well as vitamins and minerals, will be best sold.

Increased health awareness as a major positive effect of the coronavirus pandemic

The factor that could most influence the development of the food supplement market is, again as in the previous edition of the survey, consumer awareness of these products. At present, the belief that people in the face of the coronavirus pandemic will be more prophylactic, which will also manifest itself in the use of dietary supplements, was supported by a survey conducted by PMR among 100 companies present on the dietary supplements market in Poland.

As many as one third of the respondents indicate a factor of economic recovery – this is understandable in view of the forecasts for 2020, which assume an economic recession. As a result of falling sales, more companies than in previous editions of the survey also count on intensified marketing activities and external financial assistance, e.g. from the EU.

Among the areas requiring legal regulations, the respondents mentioned:

rules for placing dietary supplements on the market
rules on advertising
adjustment of Polish regulations to EU regulations
provisions aimed at reducing employer costs
customs regulations
provisions concerning the composition of food supplements – authorised substances and their doses.

Dietary supplements market in Poland 2020-graph

Other factors mentioned by the companies that could affect the development of their business are:

end of the pandemic, return of patients to pharmacies
good, qualified staff
minimising manufacturing costs
decrease in exchange rate
looking for alternative methods to health care
becoming independent from the Chinese market
social campaigns to improve the image of food supplements.

* according to one of the scenarios presented in the report, i.e. the baseline scenario assuming a relatively constant number of COVID-19 cases by the end of the year and no return to restrictions