Tiny, ugly germs be warned. As the coronavirus continues its onslaught, consumers are looking for any products that will give their immune systems an extra boost. And brands and retailers are ready.
In recent weeks, retailers such as Kroger, CVS and Walgreens have expanded their assortments of vitamins and supplements. At the same time, brands including Flintstones and Culturelle, the digestive supplement, are marketing themselves as crucial to maintaining proper health and warding off illness.
“There’s a surge in demand occurring and it’s really across the board—very few brands are down, almost all of them are up double digits, some triple digits,” says Kurt Jetta, executive chairman and founder of TABS Analytics, which provides consumer packed goods research, noting categories including vitamins, minerals, herbs and supplements and multivitamins.
For the 23-week period ending Aug. 8, U.S. sales of vitamins reached $1.6 billion, a 36 percent rise over the year-earlier period; sales of supplements, at $3.1 billion, were up 20 percent, according to Nielsen data.