Consumers have realized: It all starts in the gut. The continued rise in sales of gut-focused supplements and functional foods and beverages shows buyers have a keen interest in gut health. Social media influencers have played an integral role in the elevation of the category; on TikTok alone the hashtag #GutTok has amassed more than one billion views. This type of engagement has led consumers to seek out more information on the topic and hit their local retailers for support. 

“Today, ‘microbiome’ and ‘gut health’ are part of the general vernacular, and they’re on the minds of shoppers as they head to the store,” the experts at SPINS share. “Fortunately for them, brands are responding to the demand with a variety of choices and ways to incorporate microbiome products into daily routines. This is a win for shoppers and for the market.”

Connecting the Dots

Consumers have connected the dots between optimal gut health and mental health, immune health, oral health, and more. These interconnected relationships have led to product innovation in the food & beverage space, and smaller, niche brands have emerged as big players due to their good-for-your-gut products. 

Favoring Multifunctional 

According to FMCG Gurus consumer research, 79% of supplement users are interested in improving their overall wellbeing and 45% of global nutritional supplement consumers only use one supplement. These numbers suggest that while consumers are looking at the big picture of wellness, a large portion are opting for easy, multi-tasking solutions. Brands have responded by offering products with multifunctional benefits. 

Consumers also look to enhance everyday favorites. A key example from SPINS: “Digestive health focused sodas that contain prebiotic or probiotics are enjoying a 175% increase in year-over-year sales and 164% increase in units year-over-year. These sodas quench shoppers’ thirsts, satisfy the craving for a non-water beverage, let them achieve a health goal, and are convenient. Brands wading into this functional beverage space for digestive health are meeting shoppers where they are.”

Taking Notice

The rapid growth of the digestive health space has also led to an influx of information and an overabundance of opinions, some backed by science and many, unfortunately, not. It has grown increasingly difficult for consumers and retailers alike to sift through the information and draw their own educated conclusions. All this data has led industry experts like The Global Prebiotic Association (GPA) to take a section of the industry, specifically prebiotics, and publish a consensus paper to update the overall understanding of prebiotics that might exist (see page 37 for details).

Looking to the future

So where is the gut health space headed? Innova Market Insights 2025 Top Ten Food and Beverage Trends report suggests the new year will see the post-pandemic gut health focus from consumers continue. Key gut ingredients like fiber and probiotics will continue to trend as consumers keep prioritizing digestive health. 

Looking at -biotics, Industry Transparency Center (ITC) reports: “ITC supplement user data shows clearly that probiotics have joined the big five or six established ingredients when it comes to usage and perceived effectiveness. Prebiotics are trailing, but about to move into the top 10. Postbiotics are much less known, but there is a loyal following made up principally of younger males. For all three of these ingredient types, sustainability over-indexes compared to many other ingredient categories and the values driving purchase lean towards both quality and values-based seals and certifications.”

Advancing science will continue to explore the connections between gut, physical, and mental health while companies will use the new research to further develop personalized products targeting gut wellness through custom supplements and recommendations. WF