This year’s edition of Cosmofarma brought together more than 400 exhibitors and highlighted two important and interconnected trends. One of these isthe increasing attention paid to innovation and the research and development of specific products, designed for special needs or diseases; the other is the growing awareness of the importance of individual wellness and healthy ageing.
When compared to last year, superfoods have definitely moved centre stage (taking a bow, this time, with superfruits!), their purported “recharging” power embodied by the many “re-charge lounge areas”, which were strategically positioned among the stands that promoting superfoods-based supplements.
Zooming in on cosmetics
Organic and natural food couldn’t resist the limelight, thanks to the careful and impactful deisgn of the exhibitors’ stands.
What seems to be trending in this sector in 2017?
First of all, communications strategies based on a “storytelling explosion” in the single ingredient/superfood category / area, while, from a product development standpoint, a palpable increase in the marketing presence of skincare creams, specifically those formulated to mitigate the effects of pollution on skin.
These products and their relaed marketing strategies are directly connected to the development of beauty products inspired by the concept of “water power”. More generally, products designed for sensitive skins definitely appear to be on the rise.
We’re not talking just about humans: a brief foray into the pet care market
We saw also exhibitors in the pet care industry following the trajectory of of naturalness, with plenty of organic formulations, based on natural fragrances, to ensure our pets’ “emotional wellness”.
A visit to Vitafoods: Nutraceutical products are rocketing
The nutraceutical sector looks set to grow exponentially: natural supplements, such as turmeric, ashwagandha and boswellia are becoming increasingly popular among consumers.
Communications materials for these kinds of products generally appear intended at reassuring consumers about the source, quality and treatment efficacy of their formulations.
Within the supplement category, unprecedentedattention is being paid to so-called adaptogens, a clas of ingredients and compounds, which can provide our body with a more “instant” and long-lasting support.
At Vitafoods 2017, the global nutraceutical event which took place in Geneva last month, one area of great interest was the topic of “customised nutrition”: a trend, with regard to production priorities, closely related to a more robust integration between top-down scientific innovation and bottom-up needs, which come from more knowledgeable and conscious consumers.
Another area which companies are focusing on concerns the way supplements are administered, with some products aiming at transforming administration into a moment of genuine indulgence, through irresistible chewables or delicious bars, which are also visually attractive; another way of re-thinking supplement administration is to consider how practical a product is: snacks and products conceived for consumption on-the-go appeal to the modern consumer, who may be stressed; and a further aspect to consider when it comes to supplements is bioavailability: a key-concept which is becoming more and more important to communicate the efficacy of a product in the nutritional and pharmaceutical market.
Vitafoods has also promoted the topic of active nutrition, progressively migrating from sport to mainstream fitness as well as to vegetarian and vegan nutraceutics.
In conclusion, we believe that all these interesting market signals reveal a current receptiveness to tendencies which are spreading in our society and could have a profound impact on the industry generally.