Insights, Research and Trends

Omega-3 shines in weight loss study

Inflammation and abdominal obesity may be improved with a reduced-calorie diet while implementing omega-3 supplementation, according to a study published in Healthcare.

The two-month clinical trial with 40 males aged 25-40 plus follow-up featured the same diet for two groups but with either marine omega-3 at 1.8g/day or placebo.

Abdominal obesity in the omega-3 group reduced by 35% compared to 5.6% in the placebo group, with greater weight loss in the former with an improvement in HDL cholesterol.

Are consumers warming to refills?

Research from GoUnpackaged reveals that two-thirds of Brits (65%) believe all retailers should be offering reuse and refill systems and moving away from single-use plastics.

When reuse and refill systems are made convenient, over two-thirds (68%) of consumers are likely to incorporate them into their weekly shop, with enthusiasm rising to 77% among younger shoppers aged 18-34.

Indications are that sustainability is no longer a “nice-to-have” with half of consumers (50%) actively preferring to shop with brands who implement reuse and refill systems, and 45% saying they would choose retailers prioritising reuse over those that don’t.

If every household in the UK opted to reuse just one item per week, it would eliminate over 1.4 billion items of single-use packaging per year.

Despite consumer appetite, there are still barriers stopping shoppers from making these simple changes. Over half (54%) of consumers struggle to find reuse or refill options at their regular supermarkets, and 47% find these schemes confusing or difficult to navigate.

“Retailers have a limited window to act,” says Catherine Conway, Director at GoUnpackaged. “Stores that embrace reuse and refill systems now can establish themselves as leaders in sustainable retail, while those that wait risk falling behind in a market that’s increasingly intolerant of wasteful practices.”

“With sustainability expectations soaring, and loyalty hinging on environmental responsibility, retailers that lead the charge in sustainable practices will secure their place in a greener future.”

Live healthy, live longer – Euromonitor

Trends giant Euromonitor forecasts growth in the number of consumers making behavioural changes to live healthier lives for longer.

Projecting VMS products to reach almost $140 billion this year, beauty-conscious consumers are using supplements to slow ageing and improve hair, skin and nails.

Euromonitor points to plant-based, dissolvable vitamin strips as a trending new product delivering folic acid, zinc and more for healthy hair.

Beauty sleep versions contain chamomile, valerian and B6 to reduce stress and produce serotonin and sleep neurotransimitters.

Products tipped to do well for stress-related hair loss include reishi mushroom and green tea ingredients along with a range of B vitamins, iron, selenium vitamins C & D, copper and folic acid.

For skin care, collagen that is free from heavy metals and contaminants along with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and zinc in capsule form will perform well.

Brain health and weight loss are key 2025 trends

A science innovation conference in Cork, Ireland, at the end of last year was told that cognitive function and obesity management were the trends to watch in 2025.

Scientists and industry professionals were discussing recent advances in probiotic research.

After working through developments in probiotic labelling regulation and the potential for functional beverages, the conference focussed on the role of probiotics in brain health and metabolic health along with advances in cell analytics technology.

Aidan Fitzsimons, CEO of AnaBio, reported that multiple studies show that probiotics influence brain signalling in ways that may impact mood and concentration offering significant potential.

“With mental health becoming such a major issue in society, a natural solution like probiotics could make an enormous public health contribution if its potential is realised,” he said, adding that it was crucial to communicate this clearly to consumers to show proven efficacy.

Another significant issue was the obesity crisis which desperately needs solutions. With injectable treatments facing cost and supply challenges, supplements could provide the middle ground between food and pharmaceuticals in weight loss.

Hybrid shopping

A recent report from Modern Retail (modernretail.co.uk) emphasises that it’s no longer a case of choosing between online or in-store experiences. Instead, it’s about creating a unified shopping journey that flows seamlessly between the two to cater to today’s diverse customer base of today, whether tech-savvy Gen Z-ers or Baby Boomers.

Consumers want convenience, flexibility and personalisation. This can be done by integrating digital tools with in-store experiences to provide frictionless, personalised shopping journeys no matter where the shopper is with their smartphone. An example is staking a claim to part of the £30bn of click and collect orders expected this year alone.

“Whether a consumer is browsing online or shopping in-store, the experience will be tailored, interactive and intuitive, giving customers exactly what they want, when they want it,” concludes Modern Retail.

‘Lead with love’ theme for Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month with an appropriate #LeadWithLove call in a troubled world so often fraught with the opposite of kindness, compassion and acceptance.

The annual event observed every April since 1992 is dedicated to increasing public awareness about the causes and cures of stress.

The Stress Management Society, a non-profit organisation established in 2003, has been at the forefront of this initiative for over two decades. Its mission is to help individuals and organisations recognise and reduce stress, fostering a happier, healthier, and more resilient world.

Last year, HR software provider Ciphr commissioned a survey of 2,000 nationally representative UK adults to discover how frequently people feel stressed in a typical month.

According to the results, 86% of people in the UK feel stressed at least one day a month. In July 2021, when Ciphr ran an identical survey, it was 79%.

• On average, a typical UK adult feels stressed around 10.3 days a month – over twice a week.

• Over half (60%) of UK adults report feeling stressed five or more days each month.

• Over a third of UK adults (37%) feel stressed 11 or more days a month.

• One in nine people (11%) in the UK say they feel stressed every single day.

• The number of UK adults who say they are stressed every day has increased by 57% since a similar 2021 survey commissioned by Ciphr.

• Women are more likely to say they feel stressed every day (14%, compared to 9% of men).

• One in seven (14%) UK adults say they never feel stressed – down from the 21% reported in the 2021 survey.

According to a Dr Vegan survey, poor sleep and insomnia are the most common symptoms of stress, affecting three-quarters of people, while poor sleep is also the most common symptom whether people find their stress manageable or overwhelming.

Stress itself, and when coupled with poor sleep, can exacerbate other symptoms of anxiety including irritability, difficulty concentrating, feeling weak and tired, worsening gut health and depression. A separate Dr Vegan survey of more than 700 people into gut health shows 66% of people’s gut health worsens when anxious.