The wellness market is entering a new phase of growth, driven less by broad interest in healthy living and more by consumers seeking targeted, measurable health outcomes. Rather than purchasing supplements to address general wellness, shoppers are increasingly building personalized routines around specific needs such as healthy aging, metabolic health, cognitive performance, stress management, sleep quality, immune resilience, gut health, and hormonal balance. This shift reflects growing consumer confidence in self-directed health management, supported by increased access to health information, wearable technologies, biomarker testing, and digital health platforms. As a result, dietary supplements are evolving from discretionary wellness products into essential components of many consumers’ daily health regimens.
At the same time, consumers are becoming more discerning about the products they choose. Scientific credibility, ingredient transparency, clinical validation, and traceable sourcing have become key purchase drivers, particularly among premium supplement shoppers. Consumers increasingly expect products to deliver functional benefits backed by research rather than relying solely on traditional marketing claims. This demand is accelerating innovation in clinically studied ingredients, bioavailable delivery systems, personalized formulations, and condition-specific solutions. Formats continue to expand beyond traditional capsules into gummies, powders, stick packs, ready-to-drink supplements, and convenient daily packs that better fit modern lifestyles.
Demographic and societal trends are also reshaping the supplement landscape. An aging population is fueling demand for products that support mobility, cognition, heart health, and longevity, while younger consumers are adopting supplements earlier in life to optimize energy, focus, fitness, beauty, and preventive health. Mental wellness has emerged as one of the fastest-growing areas of supplementation, with increasing interest in ingredients that support stress resilience, mood, sleep, and cognitive performance. Consumers are also seeking holistic solutions that recognize the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, and metabolic health, creating opportunities for products that deliver multiple complementary benefits within a single formulation.
Looking ahead, the future of wellness will be defined by greater personalization, proactive health management, and evidence-based innovation. Advances in consumer data, artificial intelligence, microbiome research, and precision nutrition will enable supplement companies better to tailor products to individual health goals and biological differences. At the same time, retailers will continue to expand merchandising around health outcomes and need states rather than traditional vitamin categories, making it easier for consumers to identify solutions that fit their specific wellness objectives. Companies that combine scientific rigor, trusted ingredients, and meaningful consumer education will be best positioned to capture growth as supplements become an increasingly integral part of long-term health and wellness strategies.
Market Overview
While we have seen some pretty significant year-over-year declines at the department and category level within food & beverage, supplements have a different story to tell. The chart below shows that supplement sales have been growing across every channel. Prices have stabilized while dollars and units are rising.
Source: SPINS Total store US Natural Enhanced Channel, Amazon, Conventional Multioutlet, Convenience Channels (powered by Circana)
Department: Vitamins & Supplements
52 Weeks Ending 04/19/26
Natural products are outpacing conventional products across every channel and have been for over a year now. From natural to mass outlets to convenience, natural products show the strongest growth across these outlets. There are macro shifts in shopper preferences that SPINS has been identifying over the last few years, with products that are good for health, people, and the planet, and natural brands are typically the bullseye for these needs.
However, we’ve seen in research time and again that the biggest barriers for consumers who want to buy natural products are accessibility and price. Specialty & wellness products can be a great choice for these consumers, and they are often more accessible to shoppers in mass supermarkets as well.
Natural & Specialty & Wellness items are outpacing conventional items across the natural, MULO, convenience, and e-commerce channels. This signals consumers’ preference for premium, value-added products. However, conventional item sales are heading into the green, which is great for conventional retailers, but may suggest that pricing is impacting consumers’ ability to shop for more premium products.
Fitness-oriented products are no longer limited to athletes. Performance nutrition is the fastest-growing supplement segment, nearly doubling VMS growth.
Source: SPINS Natural Channel, Amazon (Powered by Stackline), Convenience & Multi-Outlet (MULO) (Powered by Circana) Dept: Vitamins & Supplements, 52 Weeks Ending 04/19/26
Consumers are increasingly shopping for supplements by health outcomes rather than by ingredients. Rather than seeking individual nutrients, shoppers are looking for solutions that support protein intake, hydration, cardiovascular health, digestive wellness, cognitive performance, or stress management. This represents a fundamental shift from ingredient-led merchandising toward need-state shopping, where the desired benefit drives purchase decisions.
Several functional ingredients are benefiting from this shift. Creatine, magnesium, electrolytes, milk thistle, and theanine are among the fastest-growing ingredients as consumers seek targeted support for muscle performance, recovery, hydration, sleep, and mental wellness. Brands that clearly communicate health benefits and provide clinically supported ingredient stories are increasingly positioned to win with today’s wellness-focused shopper.
Source: SPINS Natural Channel, Amazon (Powered by Stackline), Convenience & Multi-Outlet (MULO) (Powered by Circana) Dept: Vitamins & Supplements, Attribute: Health Focus (excluding Unknown), 52 Weeks Ending 04/19/26
Consumers are increasingly navigating the vitamins and supplements aisle by desired health outcomes rather than by ingredient or product type. Instead of searching for individual vitamins such as Vitamin C or Magnesium, shoppers are seeking solutions that address specific wellness goals, including immune support, gut health, cognitive performance, heart health, healthy aging, stress management, sleep, energy, women’s health, men’s health, metabolic health, and joint mobility. This shift toward health-focused attributes reflects a more intentional and personalized approach to supplementation, where consumers build routines around the benefits they hope to achieve. As retailers and brands organize products around these functional need states and support them with clinically backed ingredients and clear benefit messaging, health-focused attributes have become a primary driver of product discovery, differentiation, and premiumization across the vitamins and supplements category.
Data-Driven Health
Technology is fundamentally changing how consumers approach personal wellness. Wearable devices, AI-powered health tools, biomarker testing, and personalized health tracking are giving consumers unprecedented access to information about their bodies. Rather than reacting to illness, consumers are using this data to proactively manage sleep, activity, recovery, heart health, and overall wellness.
Younger generations are leading this transformation. Millennials and Gen Z are adopting wearable technology, digital health platforms, and AI-assisted product discovery at much higher rates than previous generations. These tools are also influencing supplement purchases by helping consumers identify personalized health goals and monitor progress, creating opportunities for more customized supplement recommendations.
https://www.samsungmobilepress.com/feature-stories/great-health-can-happen-overnight-with-galaxy-watch
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/apple-debuts-apple-watch-series-11-featuring-groundbreaking-health-insights/
1: July 2025 SPINS survey of total U.S. Gen Z and Millennial shoppers aged 13-44 (n = 1000)
“Which websites or social media platforms do you typically use to learn about new products?, How do you typically discover new products?“
2: https://www.preparedfoods.com/articles/130753-danone-survey-reveals-gut-health-awareness-growsbut-key-knowledge-gaps-persist
Consumer Health Goals
Although supplement use spans all generations, health priorities differ considerably across age groups. Younger consumers place greater emphasis on stress management, mood support, energy, fitness, and cognitive performance. In comparison, older consumers remain focused on heart health, joint mobility, bone strength, immune support, and healthy aging. These shifting priorities create opportunities for brands to tailor messaging, innovation, and product portfolios by life stage.
One trend remains consistent across demographics: daily supplement usage continues to increase. Supplements are evolving from occasional purchases into habitual wellness routines, reinforcing the importance of building consumer loyalty through education, efficacy, and trusted brand experiences.
VMS Attitude & Usage Survey, N = 1,000 VMS Consumers; Fielded May 9th – 21st, 2025 Survey Run Independent of Sales Data Trending Ingredients *Question: What are your top health goals when choosing a supplement?, How often do you take your supplements?
As the supplement market matures, consumers are becoming increasingly selective about the products they purchase. Scientific validation, third-party testing, practitioner recommendations, and clinically studied ingredients are now among the most influential drivers of purchase decisions. Consumers want confidence that products will deliver measurable results, especially as premium price points become more common.
This shift toward evidence-based wellness favors brands that invest in research, ingredient transparency, and quality certifications. Beyond simply making functional claims, successful brands must demonstrate efficacy through credible science while educating consumers on how ingredients work and why they matter.
VMS Attitude & Usage Survey, N = 1,000 VMS Consumers; Fielded May 9th – 21st, 2025 Survey Run Independent of Sales Data Trending Ingredients *Question: What influences your choice of supplement brand or product the most
Healthy aging has evolved beyond simply extending lifespan to improving quality of life throughout the aging process. Shoppers increasingly recognize the connection between beauty, mobility, cognitive health, immune resilience, and muscle strength, leading to demand for holistic solutions that address multiple aspects of aging simultaneously.
This convergence is driving growth across traditionally separate supplement categories, including beauty-from-within products, longevity supplements, amino acids, and recovery products. Rather than treating aging as a single health concern, consumers are building comprehensive wellness routines that support vitality, independence, and long-term physical performance.
Source: SPINS Natural Channel + Multi-Outlet (MULO) (Powered by Circana) + SPINS Amazon Market Measurement (Powered by Stackline)
Dept: Vitamins & Supplements, Subcategory: Beauty Supplements, Amino Acids + Intra/PostWorkouts, Health Focus: Longevity & Health Aging, 52 Weeks Ending 04/19/26
VMS Attitude & Usage Survey, N = 1,000 VMS Shoppers; Fielded May 9th – 21st, 2025, Survey Run Independent From Sales Data Trending Ingredients
*Question: What are your top health goals when choosing a supplement?
Creatine
Creatine has become one of the most significant success stories in modern supplementation. Once viewed almost exclusively as a sports nutrition product, it is now gaining widespread acceptance among mainstream consumers seeking benefits related to muscle maintenance, cognitive performance, healthy aging, and overall physical wellness.
Innovation is also expanding the category beyond traditional powders. Gummies, capsules, and other convenient formats are attracting new consumers, while greater emphasis on ingredient quality, sourcing, and third-party testing is strengthening consumer confidence. High repeat purchase rates suggest that creatine is transitioning from a trial product to a long-term wellness staple, especially among younger cohorts.
Source: SPINS Natural Channel + Multi-Outlet (MULO) + Amazon, Dept: Vitamins & Supplements, Subcategory: Creatine, 52 Weeks Ending 04/19/26
1:VMS Attitude & Usage Survey, N = 1,000 VMS Consumers; Fielded May 9th – 21st, 2025, Survey Run Independent From Sales Data
“Which of the following supplements or functional ingredients have you purchased in the past 12 months? Creatine, By Age Demographic”
2: SPINS – Enhanced National Consumer Panel, Subcategory: Creatine, 52 Weeks Ending 04/19/26
3: https://www.supplysidesj.com/market-trends-analysis/10-emerging-supplement-trends-2026
Protein
Protein has been one of the most talked-about ingredients across VMS and Food & Beverage in 2026. The trend of protein maxing is very much here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Protein continues to be one of the strongest growth platforms across the wellness industry as consumers increasingly prioritize muscle maintenance, satiety, healthy aging, and overall metabolic health. Demand has expanded well beyond traditional powders into ready-to-drink beverages, clear proteins, protein waters, and convenient on-the-go formats, creating new consumption occasions throughout the day.
Source: SPINS Natural Channel + Multi-Outlet (MULO) + Convenience (Powered by Circana) + Amazon (Powered by Stackline) Dept: Vitamins & Supplements, Grocery, Refrigerated, Attribute: Ultra-Filtered, 52 Weeks Ending 04/19/26
At the same time, shoppers are becoming more knowledgeable about protein sources. Whey remains the category leader, but consumers are also evaluating collagen, plant-based proteins, blended formulations, and specialty proteins based on desired functionality. High household penetration and strong repeat purchasing reinforce protein’s transition from a fitness supplement into an everyday nutritional staple.
Source: SPINS Natural Channel + Multi-Outlet (MULO) + Convenience (Powered by Circana) + Amazon (Powered by Stackline)
Dept: Vitamins & Supplements, Category: Protein Supplements & Meal Replacements, 52 Weeks Ending 04/19/26
Protein Powder Growth, Subcategory: Protein Supplements & Meal Replacements Powder by Functional Ingredients
Conclusion
The vitamins and supplements industry has entered a new era of growth, driven by consumers who are taking a more proactive, personalized, and data-informed approach to their health. Rather than relying solely on supplements to fill nutritional gaps, today’s shoppers are building daily wellness routines centered on specific health outcomes, such as performance, healthy aging, stress management, cognitive health, gut health, beauty, and longevity. This evolution is expanding the category beyond traditional vitamins and minerals, fueling growth across performance nutrition, protein, condition-specific formulations, and innovative functional ingredients. At the same time, widespread adoption across retail channels demonstrates that supplements have become a mainstream component of modern healthcare rather than a niche wellness purchase.
Consumer expectations are evolving just as quickly as the market itself. Scientific credibility, clinical validation, transparent sourcing, and personalized solutions have become essential differentiators as shoppers seek products that deliver measurable results. Technology is accelerating this shift, with wearable devices, AI-powered health tools, and digital health platforms helping consumers better understand their individual health needs and identify targeted supplement solutions. Brands that clearly communicate functional benefits and back their claims with credible science are increasingly earning consumer trust and driving long-term loyalty.
Looking ahead, the strongest growth opportunities will come from companies that recognize wellness as an interconnected ecosystem rather than a collection of individual products. Innovation will continue to blur the lines between active nutrition, healthy aging, beauty, cognitive health, and preventative wellness as consumers seek multifunctional solutions that fit seamlessly into their daily lives. Brands that combine evidence-based innovation, consumer education, convenient delivery formats, and personalized health solutions will be best positioned to lead the next chapter of the vitamins and supplements industry, where long-term wellness optimization becomes the primary driver of category growth.
Sources:
https://www.spins.com/data/pos-data/
https://www.spins.com/solutions/trilens-panel/
https://www.spins.com/solutions/growth-consulting-enterprise/
https://samsungmobilepress.com
Attribute Ticker
Data Ticker
Below we break out total MULO with Natural Products, Total MULO Base, Total Natural Expanded with Natural Products, and Total Natural Expanded Base.
Looking for more information? Please get in touch with the SPINS Account Manager for PRESENCE, Hans De Schaaf, at hdeschaaf@spins.com.
(847) 277-9500