30th of March 2024

Recent trends in galenics in Europe

Among delivery formats in nutraceutical products in Europe, liquids, such as sprays and shots, and gummies are gaining popularity.

Read the article to find out:

  • how gummies, liquids, and direct sticks are gaining popularity among delivery formats in Europe
  • what kind of products leading companies are launching in these formats

the gummy trend.

In 2023, in Europe, capsules and tablets still held the largest share of the market (over 60% of new product launches, according to Mintel GNPD). Liquid, powders, and gummies together held a little over 30% of the market. Despite capsules being a rather traditional format, their popularity is still growing (their market share grew by 15,3% from 2019 to 2023). The fastest-growing format in Europe are gummies (over 200% growth from 2019 to 2023).

There are several brands that have already jumped on the gummy trend. For example, Arkopharma launched a product range Gummies Phyto in November 2023, and Nourished entered the European market with somewhat futuristic 3D-printed gummies via UPSA’s pharmacies.

Nutraceutical products - gummies

the growth of liquids.

Liquids are also doing well in Europe, boosted by the popularity of sprays. In Western Europe’s pharmacy market, oral sprays have emerged as the fastest-growing delivery format, while drops have become some of the highest-selling SKUs. According to IQVIA (2023), oral sprays have been performing well since 2020, with a CAGR of 55% during 2018-2022, even faster than the 19% CAGR of gummies. While drops may not have experienced the same level of growth, they have remained highly popular in the stress and sleep product category. In 2022 alone, 19,9 million units of products in drop format were sold in this segment. Nelson Bach’s Rescue Remedy herbal drops sold over 1,5 million units in 2022, while Dr. Theiss’ melatonin spray launched in 2020 and reached nearly 4 million sold units in 2022 (IQVIA, 2023 proprietary data). Traditional liquid forms such as syrups and drops have been a cornerstone of the supplement industry for decades, but it is likely due to the popularization of sprays and shots that we are observing much of this recently renewed interest. These formats offer an exciting new user experience and can be consumed on the go, which is a key advantage in today’s fast-paced world.

The second driving force is the outstanding growth of children’s supplements. The share of new product launches in the children’s segment grew from 5,4% in 2020 to 6,5% in 2022 and from 4,2% in 2020 to 5,3% in 2022 in Europe, with liquids representing 23% of these launches (in second place, after gummies).

Lastly, liquids represent a convenient medium for formulating with melatonin and micronutrients such as vitamin D, which have all been superstars of new products in the past few years.

user-friendly direct sticks.

Stick packs are also emerging. In some of the most developed European markets, such as Germany or Italy, some of the fastest-growing SKUs among iron and UTI supplements come in direct stick form. This is unsurprising, as the format can be used on the go and thus caters to the fast-paced lifestyles of modern consumers.

Nutraceutical products - direct sticks

For example, the number one iron supplement in Germany, Eisen Verla® plus is available in direct sticks, and OmniVision, the number one eye health supplement brand in Germany has also recently launched an SKU in this form. The popularity of the direct stick delivery format is growing in certain Asian markets as well.

The shifting landscape of product delivery in Europe’s nutraceutical market reflects growing consumer demand for convenience and innovation. While capsules and tablets still lead, we are seeing rapid growth of new products in the premium segment in formats like gummies, oral sprays, and direct sticks which cater to the fast-paced lifestyle of modern consumers.

explore further.

Nutraceutical market trends for 2024

PharmaLinea has once again partnered with IQVIA to deliver a webinar on nutraceutical products market trends for 2024.

Spotlight on recent nutraceutical product launches

How are worldwide leaders, such as STADA, Haleon, or GNC addressing the 2024 nutraceutical trends with their recent product launches?

reach out.

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