Despite tough economic conditions, the aging demographic continues to spend on food and drink products that reduce the signs of aging in an effort to try and lengthen their healthy life expectancy (i.e., the years spent living in “full health”). This differs somewhat from total life expectancy. Across all regions covered by Euromonitor International, there is at least a 7-year difference between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy at birth.
 
Aging Population Remains Under Catered
The global population aged over 65 years reached 577 million in 2012, deriving predominantly from Western Europe, North America and Australasia. However, it is well known that this demographic remains under catered for. Globally, there have been some specific products launched to tap into the leading health trends for this demographic, including cardiovascular health, bone and joint health, and brain health.
 
Cardiovascular Health Focuses on Omega 3 & Soy Protein
Cardiovascular disease is still a major health concern. According to the World Health Organization, 30% of all deaths globally are due to problems with the cardiovascular system. The use of plant sterols in functional food clearly highlights the potential for success in targeting specific health concerns. By utilizing regulation and offering tangible efficacy from their products, leading brands Flora Activ and Benecol have seen success across Western Europe and are now exploring opportunities in emerging markets.
 
In fact, global sales of cardiovascular health products as a whole reached $8 billion in 2012, a rise in sales of 34% on 2007. With 30 different ingredients associated with this positioning, ranging from vitamin C and soy protein to omega 3, there is huge potential for further innovation.
 
Soy protein is one such ingredient, and it is set to benefit from the world’s growing aging population. The ingredient carries a claim pertaining to heart health in the U.S., whereby a food must contain at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per reference amount.
 
Bone Health: Innovation Beyond Calcium to Achieve Growth
Bone health was the clear winner in 2012, posting global sales of $13.6 billion. Nevertheless, it is set to see a fall over the forecast period, 2012-2017. This is due to the U.S., which drives the category and in particular dairy and juice. In fact, consumers are moving away from conventional dairy and juice products as a whole, which is in turn having a negative effect on functional variants. The vast majority of bone health-positioned products are playing it safe, focusing on well-known calcium and vitamin D and therefore cannot justify the higher prices charged by the likes of plant sterols.
 
There is, however, scope to develop bone and joint health further via the use of more than 10 ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, protein and even collagen. Rousselot’s collagen peptide product Peptan is one example. It is used in TIMEFINE, a product certified to use the “improved bone density” health claim in China.
 
Need for Variety of Brain Health-Positioned Products
In contrast, global sales of brain health and memory-positioned products were just $527 million in 2012. In order to achieve growth, the focus should be on short-term tangible benefits, such as promoting improved memory and concentration, to remove skepticism. With at least 18 ingredients pertaining to improve brain functioning, again there is a strong case for greater innovation within food and drink. Once consumers gain trust in these products, manufacturers can look to extend their range of products catering for long-term brain health and innovate in rapidly growing categories such as bakery and juice.
 
Ultimate Goal is a Rise in Healthy Life Expectancy
Successful products adhere to four criteria: investment in credible scientific research to widen functional offerings in food and drink; tangible efficacy within a short period of time; wide-reaching consumer education; and the utilization of regulation.
 
Manufacturers looking to target the aging population should focus their efforts on closing this gap between healthy life expectancy and total life expectancy by adhering to the above criteria within the key health positionings mentioned above: cardiovascular health, bone and joint health and brain health. Functional food and drink products will only truly be winners if they see tangible evidence that healthy life expectancy is lengthening.
 
The above is discussed in detail in Euromonitor International’s upcoming global report “Opportunities to Target the Ageing through Functional Food and Drink.”
 
For further insight, contact Diana Cowland, Health and Wellness Analyst at Euromonitor International, at: [email protected].