Abstract
The U.S. weight control products market, defined for this report as liquid/powder weight control drinks and candy/tablet diet aids, experienced substantial declines between 2002 and 2005, and while 2006 signifies a slight turnaround in sales, the market remains shaky.
This report takes a comprehensive look at weight loss products, including:
- How the obesity epidemic in the U.S. and its far-reaching consequences on consumer health are influencing weight control product manufacturing.
- The nature of various challenges facing the market, including FDA and FTC scrutiny, consumer-based personal injury lawsuits, competition from weight loss programs such as Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers, and how these pose direct threats to the industry.
- How public perception of weight control products can best be guided by an attentive and knowledgeable sales environment within supply and retail channels.
- Competing more effectively through advertising that avoids questionable yet widely used devices, such as consumer/professional testimonials, before/after photos, and peppering ads with scientific jargon-none of which has reversed a declining market and may have contributed to weakness.
- The incidence of consumer dieting and use of OTC diet aids, as well as attitudes toward specific products, methods utilized for short-term weight loss, and careful attention to how ethnic consumers use and view these products.
Table of Contents
- Scope and Themes
- Definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
- Executive Summary
- Snapshot of the market
- Volatile sales environment
- Preferred retailers for weight control product purchases
- Diet and diet aid incidence and attitudes among consumers
- What the future holds
- Market Drivers
- Obesity rate increases
- Figure 1: Prevalence of overweight* and obesity** among U.S. adults, 1976-80; 1988-94; and 2001-04
- Health risks related to obesity could increase trial
- Figure 2: Prevalence of overweight and obesity among U.S. adults, by demographic characteristics, 1988-94 and 2001-04
- Figure 3: Percent of respondents controlling diet, 2002-05
- Women are primary users of weight control products
- Figure 4: Percent of women controlling diet, 2002-06
- Growing ethnic population factors into sales
- Figure 5: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2002-12
- Figure 6: Percent of respondents controlling diet, by race/ethnicity, 2002-06
- Dieting still fails most
- FTC levies stiff penalties for false claims
- Fear of adverse drug reaction or dependency
- Figure 7: Attitudes towards diet pills, by gender, February 2007
- The first FDA-approved weight loss drug
- Bariatric surgery incidence soars
- Figure 8: Incidence of bariatric surgery in the U.S., 1997-2002
- Competition from weight loss programs
- Insurance coverage a mixed benefit
- Market Size and Trends
- Figure 9: Total U.S. retail sales of weight control products, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
- Market trends
- Vitamin/mineral-enhanced
- Low glycemic index
- Natural/exotic ingredients
- Market Segmentation
- Introduction
- Figure 10: Sales of weight control products, segmented by type, 2004 and 2006
- Liquid/powders
- Figure 11: Total U.S. retail sales of weight control liquid/powders, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
- Candy/pills
- Figure 12: Total U.S. retail sales of weight control candy/pills, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
- Supply Structure
- Companies and brands
- Figure 13: Manufacturer FDM sales of weight control products in the U.S., 2004 and 2006
- Liquid/powders
- Figure 14: Manufacturer brand sales of liquid/powder weight control products in the U.S., 2004 and 2006
- Candy/tablets
- Figure 15: Manufacturer FDM brand sales of candy/tablet weight control products in the U.S., 2004 and 2006
- Advertising and Promotion
- Ross Products
- Other companies
- TrimSpa
- Figure 16: Television spot: TrimSpa diet tablets-- promotional sweepstakes; positioning: glamorous, active lifestyle, consumer testimonial
- Hydroxycut
- Figure 17: Television spot: Hydroxycut diet tablets--positioning: consumer/professional testimonials, before/after photos
- Relacore
- Figure 18: Television spot: Relacore diet tablets--positioning: rapid weight loss, science, exclusive formula
- Zantrex 3
- Figure 19: Television spot: Zantrex 3 diet tablets--positioning: multiple results in one pill
- CortiSlim
- Figure 20: Television spot: CortiSlim diet tablets--positioning: consumer testimonial, energy and stress-reducing
- Fahrenheit
- Figure 21: Television spot: Fahrenheit diet tablets--music video; positioning: supplemental
- Lipozene
- Figure 22: Television spot: Lipozene diet tablets--positioning: for failed dieters, "clinically proven," no change to diet or lifestyle
- Medifast
- Figure 23: Television spot: Medifast meal replacements--positioning: easy to implement, low-calorie/high-nutrition balance
- Thyrin-ATC
- Figure 24: Television spot: Thyrin diet tablets--positioning: thyroid support
- SlimQuick
- Figure 25: Television spot: SlimQuick diet tablets--positioning: specifically for women, supplemental
- Retail Distribution
- Introduction
- Figure 26: U.S. retail sales of weight control products, by channel, 2004 and 2006
- Multi-level/networks
- Figure 27: U.S. multi-level/network sales of weight control products, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
- Mass merchandisers
- Figure 28: U.S. mass merchandisers sales of weight control products, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
- Supermarkets
- Figure 29: U.S. supermarket sales of weight control products, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
- Natural/health food stores
- Figure 30: U.S. natural/health food stores sales of weight control products,
- Drug stores
- Figure 31: U.S. drug store sales of weight control products, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
- Mail order
- Figure 32: U.S. mail order sales of weight control products, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
- Internet
- Figure 33: U.S. Internet sales of weight control products, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
- Practitioners/health clubs
- Figure 34: U.S. practitioners' /health clubs sales' of weight control products,
- The Consumer--Who is Controlling Their Diet and for What Reasons?
- Introduction
- Summary of consumer survey highlights
- Adult weight control
- Dieting incidence
- Figure 35: Number of respondents controlling diet, by gender, January-October 2006
- Figure 36: Number of respondents controlling diet, by age, January-October 2006
- Reasons for controlling diet
- Figure 37: Reasons for controlling diet, by gender, January-October 2006
- Weight loss
- Tracking fat and cholesterol
- Weight maintenance
- Blood sugar and blood pressure concerns
- Heart disease
- Figure 38: Reasons for controlling diet, by age, January-October 2006
- Teen weight control
- Teen diet incidence
- Figure 39: Number of teens controlling diet, by gender, January-October 2006
- Types of non-prescription products teens use when dieting
- Figure 40: Types of non-prescription diet products teens use when dieting, January-October 2006
- Cohort analysis
- Diet incidence among cohorts
- Figure 41: Number of respondents controlling diet, by cohort, January-October 2006
- Reasons for controlling diet among cohorts
- Figure 42: Reasons for controlling diet, by cohort, January-October 2006
- The Consumer--How They are Controlling Their Diet
- Summary of consumer survey highlights
- Types of non-prescription products used when dieting
- Figure 43: Types of non-prescription diet products used when dieting, by gender, January-October 2006
- Majority of respondents to not use OTC aids
- Commercial weight loss centers
- Figure 44: Types of non-prescription diet products used when dieting, by age, January-October 2006
- Preferred food among dieters
- Figure 45: Types of food purchased when dieting, by gender, January-October 2006
- Low fat or high fiber?
- Sugar-free and low-calorie
- Lower-in
- Figure 46: Types of food purchased when dieting, by age, January-October 2006
- Use of liquid/powder weight control drinks
- Figure 47: Use of liquid/powder weight control products, by gender, February 2007
- Attitudes towards liquid/powder weight control drinks
- Figure 48: Attitudes towards liquid/powder weight control drinks, by gender, February 2007
- Attitudes towards diet pills
- Figure 49: Attitudes towards diet pills, by gender, February 2007
- Preferred methods for short-term weight loss
- Figure 50: Preferred methods for short-term weight loss, by gender, February 2007
- Figure 51: Preferred methods for short-term weight loss, by age, February 2007
- Attitudes towards bariatric surgery
- Figure 52: Attitudes towards bariatric surgery, by age, February 2007
- The Ethnic Consumer
- Summary of consumer survey highlights
- Dieting incidence among ethnic respondents
- Figure 53: Number of respondents controlling diet, by race/ethnicity, January-October 2006
- Reasons for controlling diet among ethnic respondents
- Figure 54: Reasons for controlling diet, by race/ethnicity, January-October 2006
- Types of non-prescription products ethnicities use when dieting
- Figure 55: Types of non-prescription diet products used when dieting, by race/ethnicity, January-October 2006
- Preferred food among ethnic dieters
- Figure 56: Types of food preferred when dieting, by race/ethnicity, January-October 2006
- Ethnic attitudes towards diet pills
- Figure 57: Attitudes towards diet pills, by race/ethnicity, February 2007
- Preferred methods for short-term weight loss among ethnicities
- Figure 58: Preferred methods for short-term weight loss, by race/ethnicity, February 2007
- Future and Forecast
- Future trends
- Obesity rate continues to rise
- Female population grows
- Figure 59: Female population, by age, 2002-12
- Ethnic population set to increase
- Orlistat will clearly boost market
- Benefit bundling
- Further scrutiny by government agencies
- Bariatric surgery becomes more popular
- Market forecast
- Weight control products
- Figure 60: Forecast of total U.S. sales of weight control products, at current and constant prices, 2006-11
- Weight control liquids and powders
- Figure 61: Forecast of U.S. sales of weight control liquids and powders, at current and constant prices, 2006-11
- Weight control candy and pills
- Figure 62: Forecast of U.S. sales of weight control candy and pills, at current and constant prices, 2006-11
- Forecast factors
- Appendix: Trade Associations
- Appendix: New Product Developments
- Target Corporation: Ultra Diet Aid
- Generix Laboratories: Leptopril
- Unilever Bestfoods: Slim Fast High Protein
- Vitasoy USA: Nutrifull Meal Replacement Beverage
- Carb for Life: Carb for Life RTD Juice Drink
- Appendix: Simmons cohorts
- Figure 63: Married couples cohorts
- Figure 64: Single women cohorts
- Figure 65: Single men cohorts
