Sports nutritional supplements are increasingly finding their way onto the shelves of supermarkets. Where in the past, professional and avid amateur athletes or body builders would be surfing online to buy their sports nutrition and food supplements, the category is experiencing an important push from “mainstream” consumers.
Today’s consumer is more and more looking for healthy and tailored nutritional options, and he has discovered the world of sports nutrition. According to Euromonitor, globally, sports nutrition is the fastest growing consumer health category since the COVID-19 pandemic, with double-digit growth for three consecutive years to 2023.
In Europe, e-commerce sales are still dominant in the category, but supermarket sales are rapidly catching up. With growing consumer demand, grocery retailers are expanding their product offerings with protein bars, shakes, pre-workout supplements, and performance ‘boosters’ like creatine.
Private label lines are popping up. Retailer Musgrave has a high protein line of foods under its Supervalu name. The packaging contains eye-catching plain and simple information on protein content. Aldi in the Netherlands carries, amongst others, mousse and sports drinks under its Milsani dairy brand. Albert Heijn has AH protein bars; Lidl sells sport supplements such as creatine and Jumbo carries own brand protein shakes.
Euromonitor expects the percentage share of store-based sales will increase going forward as more private label brands enter the market, especially for categories such as protein/energy bars and protein RTDs. These products are becoming a popular on-the-go healthy snack option which are easy to find at nearby convenience or supermarket stores.