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HEALTH & BEAUTY STRESS-HEAD NATION SHORES UP VMS GROWTH As the pandemic wears on, shoppers have moved from immunity boosting vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) to those for managing anxiety, says ShelfTrend. In July 2020, when we last wrote about the VMS category, both immunity boosting and stress relieving supplements had attracted a pantry stocking spike. Vitamin C was riding high as the top seller in dollar sales per week on eBay, with omega-3 second and collagen third. Fast forward eight months and it’s a markedly different picture. While immunity boosters are still being stocked, consumers have shifted into sunlight supplements such as vitamin D (especially during Victoria’s winter lockdowns), and particularly into anxiety, mood and stress relievers such as omega-3, 5-HTP, magnesium and vitamin B. This contrast can be seen in Table A below (green = immune booster, yellow = mental health related). July 2020 February 2021 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Vitamin D Collagen Glucosamine Vitamin D Collagen international e-commerce site. In omega-3, the top three performing listings were Bioglan, Quality Health and Blackmores, with Healthy Care being the best performer for a major pharmacy retailer. In vitamin D, the top performing listings were for products by Swisse and Doctor’s Best, with Swisse also being a major pharmacy retailer’s brand for its number one listing. With vitamin C, Naturopathic-care, LivOn Laboratories and Blackmores had the best performing listings, with Swisse the brand of the best listing for a major pharmacy retailer. Certainly, the brands bought on eBay were typically in larger pack sizes, such as 100 or 240 capsules, compared with the top selling products in the major pharmacy retailers online, indicating the role of eBay for buying in bulk. Typical prices paid on eBay for the top 10 selling categories are typically between $15 and $50, with an average of $20 to $25. In July 2020, we posited that due to a variety of reasons, including consumer behaviour, it was reasonable to expect the VMS category to continue to grow, post-pandemic, in the medium term. We continue to hold this view, only now the nuance is that this is because we appear to have become, understandably given the circumstances, a nation of stress heads. Australia eBay data as at 20 February 2021. Vitamin C Omega-3 Omega-3 Vitamin C 5-HTP Vitamin B Probiotic Magnesium Magnesium Turmeric Vitamin B Table A: Top 100 vitamins, minerals and supplements listings on eBay Australia by average dollar sales per week. You can see that vitamin C has dropped two places and turmeric has dropped out of the top eight altogether. Omega-3 and vitamin D now hold the top two spots, with new entrant 5-HTP making the list. It appears that managing mental health has become a main priority for consumers, which is understandable given the recent heightened stresses of work and financial uncertainty, juggling home schooling and less than ideal working-from-home environments. Basic immune boosters are also in demand, with the return of children to schools – their immune systems weakened and school sickness policies stricter – a likely contributor. VMS brand listings remain fragmented on eBay, although less so for major pharmacy retailers selling on the 40 CONVENIENCE WORLD MAR/APR, 2021 About ShelfTrend ShelfTrend is an eBay data provider, with data spanning more than 20 global markets and tens of thousands of product categories. Its market intelligence reports can be used to assess brand, category and product performance, and to identify innovation trends. Know more. Sell more. ShelfTrend. For more information, visit: Shelftrend.com