How brands can win over Britain’s supplement consumers
Research data from YouGov Profiles sheds light on the behaviours and preferences of those who buy and consume supplements. The findings point to clear strategies brands can use to attract and retain supplement buyers – who they are, what they value, and how they shop.
Some 42% of Britons report not having bought any supplements in the past six months.
Among British adults, 44% say they have purchased vitamins in the past six months, making them the most common supplement by a wide margin. Dietary minerals and probiotics follow at a distant second and third spot, each bought by 13% of adults. This is followed by essential fatty acids (11%), natural supplements (9%), proteins and amino acids (8%).
When it comes to usage frequency, the vast majority of supplement buyers are not dabblers – they’re daily consumers. Among those who’ve purchased vitamins, four in five (80%) take them every day. Essential fatty acids and dietary minerals follow closely, with 72% and 71% daily use rates, respectively.
Even categories with lower overall purchase rates show strong regular use among their buyers. For example, while just 8% have bought proteins and amino acids, nearly half of these users (45%) consume them daily, and another 38% do so at least once a week.
Three in five buy supplements only when they need them (69%), while 23% keep a partial supply on hand. Just 12% say they maintain a fully stocked medicine cabinet.
Cost is the primary factor guiding supplement brand choice. Among those who’ve bought supplements in the last six months, 41% say they’re drawn by value for money, and 40% name price specifically. Familiarity is also important: one in four (25%) opt for a brand they’ve used before and trust.
Beyond these top drivers, online research (21%), nutrient content (21%), and pack size (17%) round out the mid-tier motivations. More traditional or passive advertising channels – such as TV, radio, print, and influencer marketing – register in the low single digits as drivers.
Half of supplement buyers (52%) report making purchases online. That makes digital marketing crucial for reaching this audience, but not all formats are equally effective.
Among online advertising mediums, social networks top the list: 27% of supplement consumers say social media is most likely to catch their attention. This outpaces online videos (14%) and websites or streaming TV services (9% each).
What the data suggests for brands
The data shows that most supplement buyers are consistent in their usage, driven by functionality over hype as much as they’re driven by price and value. An audience such as this could appreciate the best value for their spends and consistent online availability of the product.
Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for Great Britain is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race.