Herbal Dietary Supplement Sales in US Increased by 7.5% in
2015
Total retail sales reach almost $7 billion in 2015, the 12th
consecutive year of sales growth
AUSTIN, Texas (September 7, 2016) —
Sales of herbal dietary supplements in the United States increased by 7.5% in
2015, according to a new market report
by the American Botanical Council (ABC)1 In 2015, sales for herbal
supplements totaled an estimated $6.92 billion, a new sales record. The annual
Herb Market Report appears in issue 111 of HerbalGram, which was published in late
August.
The annual HerbalGram
Herb Market Report is based on herbal supplement sales statistics from the
Chicago, Illinois-based market research firms SPINS and IRI, as well as the Nutrition
Business Journal (NBJ), a publication of New Hope Natural Media
based in Boulder, Colorado. The report covers only retail sales of herbal
dietary supplements and does not reflect the sales of most herbal teas,
botanical ingredients used in cosmetics, or government-approved herbal drug
ingredients in over-the-counter medicines.
NBJ based its total herb supplement sales figures for 2015 on data from market
research firms, company surveys, interviews with major retailers and industry
experts, and various published and unpublished secondary material. SPINS worked
with IRI to determine sales of herbal supplements in mainstream retail outlets,
which includes military commissaries, select buyer’s clubs, and so-called
dollar stores. The collaborative SPINS/IRI reporting does not include
convenience store sales.
In mainstream US retail outlets,
SPINS/IRI estimated total sales of $943 million, a 1.5% increase in sales in
this channel from 2014. NBJ, which includes convenience store data in its
mass-market channel definition, estimated slightly higher sales of $1.2
billion.
For the third year in a row,
horehound was the top-selling herbal dietary supplement in mainstream retail
outlets, with sales in this channel totaling almost $115 million. Horehound has
been used since ancient times to relieve upper respiratory symptoms, and today,
horehound commonly is incorporated into lozenges and cough drops for this same
purpose.
Boswellia, despite ranking 39th in
this channel, had perhaps the best year of any supplement sold in mainstream
retail outlets, with a 674% increase in sales over 2014. Also known as Indian
frankincense, this tree gum has been used for millennia in the traditional
Indian medical system of Ayurveda for ceremonial, religious, and medicinal
reasons. Today, boswellia herbal supplements are marketed for anti-inflammatory
benefits, often in combination with turmeric, another traditional Indian
ingredient known for its anti-inflammatory properties.
The roughly 3,500-word report,
which is available online
to the public, includes a table of the 40 top-selling herbal supplements in the
mainstream multi-outlet channel (as determined by SPINS/IRI), and a table of
the 40 top-selling botanicals in the natural channel (as determined by SPINS).
It also includes a graph and table detailing total sales of herbal supplements
in all channels since 2000 (as determined by NBJ). HerbalGram’s
market report discussed a number of trends in 2015, including the rise of
Ayurvedic herbs, the increased focus on inflammation, and the reduced sales of
certain herbal supplements used for weight loss.
The 7.5% increase in sales of herbal supplements in 2015 was the second highest
rate of growth for these products in more than a decade. This substantial
increase happened despite the negative media coverage surrounding herbs in
2015, particularly in relation to the New York attorney general’s flawed
investigations of some common herbal products.
“These figures confirm that strong
consumer demand for herbs and herbal products continues in the United States,
based on a consumers’ interest in natural and relatively low-cost ways to
maintain their health,” said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of
ABC. “Herb supplement sales continue to grow to record levels, evidence that
much of the public considers herbs to be an essential component of a healthy
lifestyle.”
HerbalGram is
available at some bookstores and natural food stores and is a benefit of ABC
membership. The annual HerbalGram herb market report article
is available for free on the ABC website.
Reference:
Smith T, Kawa K, Eckl V,
Johnson J. Sales of herbal dietary supplements in US increased 7.5% in 2015. HerbalGram.
2016:111;67-73. Available at: http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue111/hg111-mktrpt.html.