Heart health, gut and digestive issues, and cognitive health are the leading consumer concerns that manufacturers of functional drinks should look to target, according to a report from Canadean.
According the report, Functional Drinks - Reassessing future potential, determining consumer targets, and delivering credible products, heart health is a primary area of concern among consumers, with 75 per cent indicating that they are ‘very interested’ or ‘interested’ in drinks that can help meet this need.
Catherine O’Connor, senior analyst at Canadean says: “Concerns over heart health are affecting consumers at a younger age than ever before, leading to significant demand for products that can help to prevent issues in later life.”
Demand is also on the rise for beverages that can aid in digestive health, Canadean found.
“Women in particular are expressing an interest in digestive health drinks, with dairy-based functional beverages proving a popular choice due to the satiety they provide,” says O'Connor.
Brain health is an area of great consumer interest for functional drinks for all ages, the FMCG researcher found.
Aging consumers desire products that can help to maintain healthy brain function and avoid cognitive decline, consumers in their middle years seek preventative products that act as an earlier intervention against the same, and younger consumers can be targeted with products that aid in mental development and sharpness and concentration, according to the report.
