Consumers view immune health differently post COVID, says new report from NutriLeads

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According to a data from NutriLeads BV’s (Wageningen, The Netherlands) consumer insights report, consumer views on immune health have changed fundamentally as a result of COVID-19. In fact, immune health is not only significantly more important to consumers, but it’s also perceived as having an impact on long-term health and wellbeing. Moreover, it’s more important to two-thirds of consumers globally than digestive, heart, or any other health issue.

“It’s clear that during the pandemic, consumers have been paying attention to their immune health more than ever before,” said Joana Carneiro, NutriLeads CEO, in a press release. “This research shows us that the experience of living with the pandemic is likely to have a lasting effect. Consumers are more knowledgeable about immune health and place more importance on improving it on the longer term.”

In fact, 57% of consumers believe they are easily susceptible to contracting disease, compared to 39% before the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, 64% of consumers associated poor immune health with susceptibility to day-to-day illnesses, with 49% making the connection between poor immune health and recovering from illness. Now, 75% of global consumers believe a poor immune system makes it difficult to recover from a disease, and 79% believe a poor immune system makes one more susceptible to contracting disease.

As such, 40% of consumers are taking a proactive approach to their immune health even if they think they are in good health. And this approach is holistic with a comprehensive plan that includes exercise and fresh foods and paying attention to digestive health and mental wellbeing. In fact, eight in ten consumers recognize that poor digestive health has a direct impact on immunity.

The report is built on data that was gathered by FMCG Gurus through consumer surveys, conducted with 45,000 consumers from 15 countries across 2019, 2020, and 2022.