Minerals, supplements see healthy sales gains

Sales in the minerals and supplements segment were up 5.7% from the previous year, while sales for private label were down 0.7%, according to IRI. These shifts resulted in a 6% erosion of market share for private label, from 34.8% to 32.7% for the period. However, private label holds a plurality of the market with a market share of 32.7% and sales of $1.1 billion.

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Among national brand manufacturers, Pharmavite led the market, with 10.2% market share and sales of $348 million (up 7%), Nature’s Bounty has lessened the gap since last year and holds 9.7% market share with $330 million in sales (up 11%). Rexall Sundown and Reckitt Benckiser follow with $221 million (down 9%) and $205 million (down 1%) respectively. I-Health had an impressive 21% growth from last year, hitting $187 million for the year.



According to CPR, among the top five manufacturers in the minerals and supplements segment, Rexall Sundown had the lowest average retail margins across all three channels — mass, food and drug. Yet sister company Nature’s Bounty had the highest average retail margins in both mass and food channels. Pharmavite reflected the highest average retail margin in the drug channel at 43%. Rexall Sundown and Nature’s Bounty kept margins within a tight 4% spread across mass, food and drug.



According to MarketTrack, private label led in category feature ads with 451 in the drug channel for the 52-week period ended in April 2016. Nature’s Bounty followed with 399, Reckitt Benckiser at 337, Pharmavite at 336, Rexall Sundown at 221 and i-Health at just 51. Nature’s Bounty and Pharmavite each increased ads featured last year, up by 37 and 45, respectively, while Reckitt Benckiser and Rexall Sundown reduced ads for the period by 44 and 23, respectively. Nature’s Bounty saw a 10.5% increase in sales during the period in the drug channel, while Reckitt Benckiser and Rexall Sundown each saw losses in the drug channel of -3.3% and -13.0%.



Drug Store News has partnered with Competitive Promotion Report, IRI and MarketTrack to create a series of exclusive reports. This article highlights the market performance of major manufacturers in the minerals and supplements segment within the vitamins, minerals and supplements category. The results in this study reflect the leading brands/manufacturers in the segment in terms of retail sales, list price changes, average retailer margins and promotional ad activity.

CPR is a leading provider of competitive market intelligence and insights in the health, beauty and wellness industry. Learn more by visiting competitivepromotion.com.