Dietary Supplements in China will be a huge market within the next few years. With the rapid improvement of Chinese consumers’ income situation and self-health awareness, the health food market in China is facing development opportunities. It is estimated that China’s health market will increase by RMB 100 billion yuan in the next five years. To stand out in this increasingly fierce competitive environment, enterprises need to grasp the trend of the industry and meet the opportunities.
Dietary Supplements in China: Where the need comes from
Having experienced during the last century various episodes of food restriction, during the wars and then the reform of the Great Leap Forward policy by Mao Zedong, China has now become a country that revolves around food consumption. You can see the street: stands, restaurants, supermarkets, and many other food shops that overlook the landscape. However, today, being content with staple foods for eating no longer seems sufficient. With the rapid growth of the country, the fatigue and the stress supported daily make Chinese more and more dependent on dietary supplements and vitamins to preserve their physical condition. Also, the problems of urbanization and living environment have aroused people’s attention to health care.
Also, with the improvement of the national income level and the increase of the middle class in China, more people are able to spend money on their health. The seek for quality of life enter also into an account. The market is meeting a new stage of demand.
E-commerce for food is common here
On the one hand, demand is growing rapidly, on the other hand, the industry is changing fast. Consumers are more mature and changing their spending habits. Actually, a lot of discounts are part of the online sales strategy leading users to consume more products online than in shops.
In the beginning, the idea to buy food products on the internet wasn’t a so reassuring idea. Because consumers can’t see in advance what they are paying for. But traditional channels are evolving. The Internet and digitization have changed the way businesses engage with consumers and create value. With the e-commerce development in China, the security and safety of its services lead people to seek all their stuff online nowadays. The delivery time constraint is also no more a problem as this service is nowadays very practical and fast in China.
Popular e-commerce platform such as Tmall is good for the company because it already captures a huge segment of clients. Also, users have faith in this platform and are willing to spend on it easily. Tmall is known to sell authentic products.
How to market dietary food supplements in China?
There are some key factors that all dietary food supplement company has to get before entering this booming market :
Understanding Chinese consumers
Elderly people were the most targeted by domestic manufacturers. Due to the necessity to take care of seniors in China, the youngest people and adults have to respect filial piety. Offering food supplements to the oldest person is a good deal. Also, for this consumer segment, brands use a lot of television to advertise aged persons. They represent a very dedicated listening audience. Aged Chinese people rely also more on television advertising.
Building your brand’s online awareness
The newest generation uses consult online descriptions and information about food supplements. A lot of consumers have a low cognition of healthy food at present. That’s why they only can do more research or rely on other’s consumer’s feedback. They trust recommendations on the internet more than brand advertising in China.
The reputation of the brand and its products is very important. You can check for more information about Wechat, the main application of communication and promotion used in China.
However, domestic manufacturers often fail to develop product branding and credibility which leads most of them to have short life cycles. A few years ago, high-quality imported products only account for 10% of the total sales. Nowadays, imported products are getting very popular.
SEO campaign on Baidu
To increase your visibility online, it’s important to be well-referenced on Baidu, the main search engine in China. Brands have to create quality content in Chinese and use keywords. Learn more about our SEO services here.
By the way, Chinese people are searching for effectiveness in the product. Brands have to propose food supplements underlining the effect provided. Showcases or key opinion leaders can be useful for promotion.
Healthcare and nutritious foods can be divided into health foods and functional foods according to their regulatory standards and uses. The most popular keywords in China for dietary food supplement research online are these :
- Fat reduction
- Supplemental protein for musculation
- Increase immunity
- Increase memory
- Antihypertensive
- Reduce fatigue
- Aid digestion
Entering into e-commerce platforms
Participating in e-commerce allows you to gain a larger number of consumers. It permits to meet consumers’ needs in a more fast way and to catch sales.
Marketplaces such as Tmall or JD.com allows companies to sell their product directly online. Because these platforms are trusted by consumers, they feel safer when they want to try new brands and new products.
To finish, Branding and promotion are both important for your business in China. The market is young but competitive and you have to ensure a long-term strategy.
Need more information? Do not hesitate to contact us. GMA is specialized in digital marketing in China. Our team is made up of experts in the Chinese market and its culture. We can help you to develop your project and define together the best way for your brand to break through this market. Contact us or come and meet us directly at our offices in Shanghai!
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