Jordin DeSenzo & Carly Fink , Provoke Insights12.11.23
In an increasingly fast-paced world filled with daily challenges, stress has become a ubiquitous companion in our lives. Coping with stress is essential for maintaining our physical and mental well-being. While various strategies have been employed to tackle stress, the role of vitamins and supplements, particularly CBD (cannabidiol), as a stress reliever has gained significant attention.
So, are Americans truly stressed out? Do these individuals have coping mechanisms in place to combat these anxieties? And what is the role of vitamins and supplements in consumer lives? Provoke Insights, a full-service market research firm, investigated these pressing questions in its bi-annual consumer trends.
Many Americans (82%) are stressed, and almost half of these individuals say that their stress is moderate to extreme. So, who are they and what is stressing them out?
Not surprisingly money is a primary cause of anxiety. As a result, these individuals are more likely to have financial troubles such as being more likely to go into debt (69%). Compared to Gen X and Baby Boomers, their younger counterparts (Gen Z & Millennials) have higher stress levels. Similarly, minority groups such as women (46%) and the LGTBQ+ community (55%) are more likely to have this level of anxiety.
High levels of stress lead to a desire to alleviate that stress through different positive coping mechanisms. The most popular ways to destress are exercising (59%) and talking to loved ones such as family and friends (50%). Eating a healthy diet (32%), and meditation (31%) are also ways Americans choose to destress.
However, some Americans are also destressing using health-risk behaviors such as drinking alcohol (26%) and eating an unhealthy diet (11%).
Almost a third of respondents also state they use vitamins/supplements to mitigate their everyday stress. Inversely, a small percentage use ingestible wellness products (8%) and topical products (6%) to alleviate stress.
Vitamins are important for maintaining good health and overall well-being. No wonder, over half of Americans (56%) have purchased vitamins/supplements/ingestibles and/or topicals in the past month.
● Boomers (62%), wealthier individuals (62%), and parents (61%) have a higher propensity to buy these items.
● Almost two-thirds report being in a good financial situation (62%) and are saving money (61%). Two-thirds of consumers (62%) take supplements daily. However, only a quarter of Americans are consuming ingestible wellness products (24%), and almost a fifth use topical products (18%). The most popular supplements taken regularly are multivitamins (48%), vitamin D (40%), vitamin C (37%) and B12 (32%). Those who take a multivitamin daily are more often Baby Boomers (58%), Democrats (52%), and in a good financial situation (52%).
About two-thirds of individuals still buy vitamins in-store (59%), but some are still interested in purchasing vitamins online (30%). Compared to 17 other shopping categories, consumers are more loyal to their vitamin brands than most other industries (+9%). About half of the vitamin purchasers state, they always or almost always buy the same vitamin brand (50%). Asians are the most loyal to their vitamin brand (56%).
A twelfth of those who are stressed out use CBD to help destress. They are more likely to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community (21%).
Even though CBD has only been legal since 2018, just a tenth of Americans are taking a CBD supplement daily (10%).
These individuals are more often less budget-conscious (22%) and going into debt (14%). CBD consumers are more often a part of the LGBTQ+ community (15%). Similarly, to 2022, approximately (37%) of Americans will purchase CBD products in the next year. Those who are disinterested in CBD have various reasons for not purchasing. In 2022, consumers were worried CBD was not regulated properly (19%) and that they would test positive on a drug test for consuming CBD (15%). These two worries have decreased significantly for consumers in the past year (11%, 10%). Today, the biggest reason why people are not buying CBD is simply because they do not have a need for it (37%).
Want to learn about the study? Click here.
Consumers Are Stressed
So, are Americans truly stressed out? Do these individuals have coping mechanisms in place to combat these anxieties? And what is the role of vitamins and supplements in consumer lives? Provoke Insights, a full-service market research firm, investigated these pressing questions in its bi-annual consumer trends.
Many Americans (82%) are stressed, and almost half of these individuals say that their stress is moderate to extreme. So, who are they and what is stressing them out?
Not surprisingly money is a primary cause of anxiety. As a result, these individuals are more likely to have financial troubles such as being more likely to go into debt (69%). Compared to Gen X and Baby Boomers, their younger counterparts (Gen Z & Millennials) have higher stress levels. Similarly, minority groups such as women (46%) and the LGTBQ+ community (55%) are more likely to have this level of anxiety.
High levels of stress lead to a desire to alleviate that stress through different positive coping mechanisms. The most popular ways to destress are exercising (59%) and talking to loved ones such as family and friends (50%). Eating a healthy diet (32%), and meditation (31%) are also ways Americans choose to destress.
However, some Americans are also destressing using health-risk behaviors such as drinking alcohol (26%) and eating an unhealthy diet (11%).
Vitamins, Supplements, Ingestibles and Topicals
Almost a third of respondents also state they use vitamins/supplements to mitigate their everyday stress. Inversely, a small percentage use ingestible wellness products (8%) and topical products (6%) to alleviate stress.
Vitamins are important for maintaining good health and overall well-being. No wonder, over half of Americans (56%) have purchased vitamins/supplements/ingestibles and/or topicals in the past month.
● Boomers (62%), wealthier individuals (62%), and parents (61%) have a higher propensity to buy these items.
● Almost two-thirds report being in a good financial situation (62%) and are saving money (61%). Two-thirds of consumers (62%) take supplements daily. However, only a quarter of Americans are consuming ingestible wellness products (24%), and almost a fifth use topical products (18%). The most popular supplements taken regularly are multivitamins (48%), vitamin D (40%), vitamin C (37%) and B12 (32%). Those who take a multivitamin daily are more often Baby Boomers (58%), Democrats (52%), and in a good financial situation (52%).
About two-thirds of individuals still buy vitamins in-store (59%), but some are still interested in purchasing vitamins online (30%). Compared to 17 other shopping categories, consumers are more loyal to their vitamin brands than most other industries (+9%). About half of the vitamin purchasers state, they always or almost always buy the same vitamin brand (50%). Asians are the most loyal to their vitamin brand (56%).
CBD Provides Some TLC
A twelfth of those who are stressed out use CBD to help destress. They are more likely to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community (21%).
Even though CBD has only been legal since 2018, just a tenth of Americans are taking a CBD supplement daily (10%).
These individuals are more often less budget-conscious (22%) and going into debt (14%). CBD consumers are more often a part of the LGBTQ+ community (15%). Similarly, to 2022, approximately (37%) of Americans will purchase CBD products in the next year. Those who are disinterested in CBD have various reasons for not purchasing. In 2022, consumers were worried CBD was not regulated properly (19%) and that they would test positive on a drug test for consuming CBD (15%). These two worries have decreased significantly for consumers in the past year (11%, 10%). Today, the biggest reason why people are not buying CBD is simply because they do not have a need for it (37%).
Want to learn about the study? Click here.