Vitamins, minerals, and supplements market in Australia - statistics & facts
Around eight in 10 Australians supplement their diet with complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). Due to rising health, dietary, and general wellness concerns, non-prescription medicine consumption among Australians, particularly vitamins, minerals, and supplements (VMS), has become a prevalent preemptive measure to ward off potential illnesses, support existing health conditions, and enhance fitness regimes. Through alternative medicine sales, from tablets and gummies to powders and sprays, Australia’s CAM sector saw healthy expansion throughout 2024, with VMS accounting for over two-fifths of its revenue. Across Australia, VMS demand remains consistent, with products tailored towards supporting mental wellness, women’s health, and gut and immune strength, seeing higher demand recently.
Attributable to its rising popularity, sports nutrition was forecast to observe the most rapid growth across Australia’s CAM segments between 2024 and 2029, with a projected CAGR of 7.2 percent. With a gradually aging demographic, prevalence of diets high in ultra-processed foods, and widespread mental well-being concerns, the Australian population’s desire to proactively maintain intake of micronutrients and take preventative healthcare measures through VMS is likely to prevail.
Australia’s strong international reputation for VMS products
Home to one of the world’s largest VMS export markets, Australia’s export volume exceeded 20 million kilograms in 2023, worth over 480 million U.S. dollars. The country has a reputation for high-quality, safe, clean, and ‘green’ VMS with good efficacy, making its products highly desirable among global consumers, particularly in China, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand. Across its various homegrown VMS brands, the most popular include Blackmores and Bioceuticals, acquired by Japanese conglomerate Kirin in 2023; Swisse, which joined Hong Kong-listed H&H Group in 2015; and PharmaCare’s Nature’s Way and Bioglan. Other prevailing international and domestic brands sold in the Australian market include Berocca, Centrum, Elevit, Ethical Nutrients, and Sanofi-Aventis brands Nature’s Own, Cenovis, and Ostelin. Pharmacies remain Australia’s primary VMS sales channel; nonetheless, e-commerce and supermarket purchases have become more prevalent.Mental well-being concerns driving demand for calming remedies
Women’s, digestive, and bone health products endure as Australia’s leading VMS segments, likely driven by changes in dietary habits and the prevalence of chronic conditions including musculoskeletal disorders and arthritis among its population. However, there has been a noticeable trend in the popularity of VMS to support mental health. The country’s mood and relaxation VMS segment witnessed rapid growth between 2019 and 2024 as more consumers sought natural products to calm stress and aid with sleep. Alongside this, beauty supplements to promote skin, hair, and nail health have gained traction, supported by a shift toward enhancing beauty from within.Sports nutrition picks up the pace
After VMS products, sports nutrition, encompassing muscle support and recovery, active nutrition, and weight management products, is Australia’s second-largest CAM segment. Although VMS dominates revenue, sports nutrition has become a key CAM industry growth driver due to society’s heightened emphasis on physical activity and social media fitness cultures’ influence. Various brands, including Bulk Nutrients, Optimum Nutrition, Muscle Nation, and Musashi, compete in Australia, offering diverse products ranging beyond protein powders to pre-, post-, and intra-workout supplements.Attributable to its rising popularity, sports nutrition was forecast to observe the most rapid growth across Australia’s CAM segments between 2024 and 2029, with a projected CAGR of 7.2 percent. With a gradually aging demographic, prevalence of diets high in ultra-processed foods, and widespread mental well-being concerns, the Australian population’s desire to proactively maintain intake of micronutrients and take preventative healthcare measures through VMS is likely to prevail.
