The upswing of natural medicine: How herbs and natural remedies conquer the large consumer health markets
The upswing of natural medicine: How herbs and natural remedies conquer the large consumer health markets
In the age of technology and advanced medicine, consumers around the world have increasingly taken a look at the treatment methods of our ancestors in recent years. According to a new report by the Nicholas Hall Group, a clear trend towards natural medicine and herbs are observed as health solutions at a global level.
The Nicholas Hall Group has in its report analyzed the development of nine important markets (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Italy, Japan and USA). In 2017, these markets together generated sales of $ 1.564 billion through the sale of herbs and natural medicine. China and the USA made the biggest contributions. In the same year, the entire market for herbs and natural medicine reached a volume of $ 33 billion, which corresponds to growth of 5.0 %. This exceeds the growth of natural medicine that of the conventional, allopathic drugs that were 3.0 %.
prioritization of health and wellness
Some of the factors that influence this impressive growth are the increased awareness and prioritization of health and wellness, as well as the trend towards natural and vegetable medication and nutritional supplements. In particular, medicinal herbal -based preparations are very popular, since they are often seen as safer alternatives to allopathic options and are increasingly recommended for children. The increasing control and regulation of ingredients in medication has also caused increased concerns about the security of conventional medicines. This has increased the appreciation of herbs and natural medicine, supported by scientific studies and clinical research that substantiate their effectiveness.
probiotics form the fastest growing group among the naturopathic remedies, with average growth of 11 % per year since 2013. This growth is driven by growing awareness of their health benefits, consumer focus on prevention, the development of new niches and increasing segmentation. Probiotics are particularly popular with children, and their areas of application have expanded beyond the usual advantages for intestinal health and the immune system to cover areas such as the health of women, mother and baby, metabolism, stress and healthy aging.
In addition, vegetable and natural coughing agents (with average growth of over 8 % per year) and topical analgesics (over 7 % per year) are also further growth areas. Vegetable and natural coughing means are increasingly in demand due to safety concerns compared to allopathic options and restrictions for certain ingredients such as DXM and codeine. Important growth segments here are preparations with ivy extract, thyme and honey. Topical analgesics underline the effectiveness of vegetable and natural formulations. Ingredients such as menthol, camphor, methylsalicylate, legwell, capsaicin and Arnika are popular and are often advertised by prominent brand ambassadors, especially in markets such as the USA and Japan.The analysis of the market also shows significant regional differences: traditional Chinese medicine is predominant in China, while Ayurvedic medicine dominates in India. Homeopathy is particularly common in Europe and the USA.
this upswing in natural medicine illustrates that consumers are looking for alternatives and natural solutions for their health problems worldwide. The data underline the growing importance of herbs and natural remedies in the health landscape and we can expect this trend to continue to increase in the coming years.