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Beauty Foods
DataMonitor
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Brits remain skeptical about
‘beauty foods’
London, Thursday July 16,
2009. Despite being heralded as the future of personal care, so-called
‘beauty foods’ are not yet the worldwide phenomenon that
manufacturers had hoped they would become, according to Mark Whalley*,
consumer markets analyst at Datamonitor and author of Opportunities
in Heart Health: Consumer Attitudes & Behaviors**. Beauty
foods, also commonly referred to as ‘nutricosmetics’, look to
incorporate appearance benefits such as anti-aging properties into
foods and beverages. While UK consumers are displaying a casual
interest, they have not yet fully embraced the idea.
The concept of beauty foods promotes
the notion of ‘beauty from within’ (or, put more simply, 'you are
what you eat'). Many understand that drinking water can have a
hydrating effect on the skin, but it is becoming increasingly common
for formulations to have positive effects on other areas of the body
such as hair or nails too.
Part of the reason behind the
relative lack of interest in beauty foods in the UK is the
population’s lack of concern about appearance. When asked by
Datamonitor in 2008, only a quarter (25%) of Brits agreed with the
statement “I feel under pressure to look good”, whereas two in
five (41%) disagreed. “Perhaps predictably, females felt appearance
pressure more than males—35% and 15%, respectively, agreed with the
statement”, said Whalley.
However, there are several
encouraging signs for the industry. Beauty from within is clearly
something that UK consumers believe in. “In the same survey, two
thirds (68%) stated that they were conscious of the link between diet
and appearance, whereas only 8% disagreed”, said Whalley, based in
Manchester.
Furthermore, a separate Datamonitor
survey, conducted in April and May 2009, shows that interest in these
products clearly exists, but that consumers are holding back for
various reasons. Only 27% of Brits said they were not interested in
the idea of foods and beverages which improved personal appearance.
What was more indicative of the current situation was the fact that
nearly half (49%) said they were interested in but not actively buying
these products. This shows that industry players need to do more to
convince these consumer groups that beauty foods are worth paying good
money for.
“It is likely that the economic
crisis has held back the industry significantly”, commented Whalley.
The perceived high price of these products means that consumers are
overlooking them in order to save money. However, what is really
inhibiting the industry is trust, says Whalley. “People want to
believe that they can look better just by eating or drinking a
product, but the truth is that many Brits are skeptical about this.
Manufacturers must do all they can to convince people to really get
behind beauty foods, because the interest is there. There are
effective ways in which this can be done, such as gaining an
endorsement from respected professional associations. This gives the
consumer confidence that what they read on the packet will be a good
indicator of what happens after consumption.”
It remains to be seen whether
nutricosmetics will live up to their billing. Although the idea of
‘beauty in a pill’ is clearly one which appeals, for many it
appears to be a little bit too good to be true.
(17/7/09) |
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