Our industry received some great news by way of a report released by Kantar Wordpanel this past summer (2018). The report shows that sport nutrition products are experiencing very good growth in the UK as more people are seeing them as worthy snack foods. The report shows that Brits are paying more attention to sport nutrition in light of a growing trend toward more healthy eating.
More importantly, the report shows that product placement is driving the growth in sport nutrition by giving consumers more choices. By placing sport nutrition products in close proximity to health food products, retailers are facilitating a change of mind among British consumers.
The Report's Numbers
The numbers in the June report are fascinating. According to the data, producers of sport nutrition snacks generated an additional £15.1 million in sales for the year ending on 17th June. That's a lot of sales. Moreover, it's not £15.1 million in total sales; the number represents only the amount of the year-on-year increase.
The report also shows that sales of take-home sports bars totalled £27.2 million, an increase of more than £7 million year-on-year. Sales of sports flapjacks increased by £7.5 million to eclipse the £18 million mark. Finally, the increased sales from both kinds of products combined to push the total value of the sports nutrition market to some £138 million.
What It All Means
We've taken the time to crunch the numbers and analyse the data so that our customers don't have to. What does it all mean? It means several things.
First and foremost, Brits are increasingly more willing to forgo fizzy drinks, chocolate bars, and other unhealthy snacks in favour of healthier alternatives. Among those healthier alternatives, products like protein bars and sports flapjacks are especially popular. These are the items retailers should be focusing on.
Second, the report makes it clear that product placement is critical. Consumers have come to expect sport nutrition choices at the gym and leisure centre, but not so much in other locations. When sport nutrition products are placed side-by-side with other healthy foods, consumers are more apt to purchase them.
Sport Nutrition Vending
The data suggests that sport nutrition vending machines no longer have to be limited to gyms and leisure centres in order to be money-makers. The market appears to be ripe for placement anywhere such machines are supported by heavy foot traffic. By the way, this is something we've been saying for quite a long time.
Vending requires foot traffic to succeed. This is more important than the products being vended. If you can find a couple of locations on your premises where foot traffic is exceptionally heavy, those are the places to install sport nutrition vending machines. People will buy the products as they walk by.
At the end of the day, sport nutrition is on an upward trend. The data proves it. Now it's a matter of convincing property owners to place sport nutrition vending machines on their premises.
Sources:
The Grocer – https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/stores/consumer-trends/snack-bars-and-flapjacks-drive-16m-sports-nutrition-boost/571841.article
