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By Candace Corlett, President, WSL Strategic Retail
Is all the turbulence in the world impacting people’s health – the weather, politics, wars in far-off lands that resonate here at home, and inequitable distribution of health services are taking a toll.
In our 2024 Future of Shoppers’ Health, we have reported an all-time low in people who rate their health Excellent/Very Good at 34% - 14ppts from 2020, which was in the heart of the Covid pandemic.
It’s not age that drives the perception of good health; all generations report similar attitudes toward their health, but Income makes the big difference, with half of people earning $150k+ saying their health is excellent/very good vs. less a third of those with incomes <$50k.
Stress has been the No. 1 obstacle to health for years, but this year it’s +5ppts. Lower on the list is lack of sleep, weight, unhealthy ingredients in foods we choose, and too much screen time. No surprise, Depression/Anxiety is the #1 health condition reported by people, followed by Seasonal Allergies.
What do people do to maintain good health? More than half take vitamins and schedule check-ups, and 46% use vaccines to prevent illness.
Here’s where age does make a difference. Over 2/3 of Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X do not follow through with regular check-ups vs. 1/3 of Boomers.
Inflation takes a toll on healthy choices. For almost half, prioritizing healthy choices is not working these days of inflation.
The future of shoppers’ health presents threats to business
Watch for Marijuana as the new OTC. People use it for stress relief, to get a good night’s sleep, and to ease pain.
The Food Industry should start thinking about the dyes they use to color food and medicine. Dyes are on the radar of half of parents, avoiding foods and medicines that use artificial dyes.
What’s all the fuss over GLP-1s?
While 2/3 of people want to lose or maintain their weight, only 4% use a GLP-1. First, they believe drinking more water and avoiding foods that add calories is the best course. The GLP-1 will have to become much less expensive or available for more Rx conditions to have an impact.
