Oslo, Norway—Aker BioMarine completed a 677-subject US-based survey that examines consumer attitudes about packaging and claims in regards to nutritional supplements, according to a press release.

The study suggests a correlation between product packaging and consumer purchasing decisions. It also, the press release says, confirms that product packaging is considered trustworthy—for instance, it says, the supplement fact box is the most-used information piece on the packaging.

Survey highlights include:
  • 85% have felt or measured a health effect from supplements
  • Two out of three supplement users are influenced by their general physician
  • Half of supplement users normally repeat their purchase
  • Marketing claims influence about half of the supplement users
Aker BioMarine told WholeFoodsthat "Respondents were recruited through a so-called consumer panel that is provided through Discovery Research. The panel is structured to mirror the American population to begin with, before our exclusion criteria came into effect. We excluded respondents that have not, are not and will not try supplements in the future. In addition, we asked to over-represent the group that has, do or might do use Omega-3 in the future (300 out of the 677 are in this category)."

The company further noted that 49% of the omega-3 users purchase nutritional supplements for General Health, but that they also buy supplements from a Heart Health perspective more than anything else. A significant share of Sport supplements and supplements for the brain are sourced through the doctor/physician channel. Heart and Joint Health are more commonly motivators for older users than for younger users.

Egil Nilsen, Aker BioMarine’s VP of market insight, said in the release, “We have been looking at this topic for some time now and the results of our recent claims survey prove that packaging and claims are extremely important to today’s consumers. We are confident that this study is something that our customers and partners will also find helpful as they continue to innovate and produce new products in the future.”