Convenience Driving Wellness Trend

Convenience Driving Wellness Trend

HARLEYSVILLE, Pa.The NaturalMarketing Institute (NMI) released the eighth in a series of NMIs Top 10Trends of 2004: Convenience and Availability Migrate Across Channels.According to NMI, more than 38 percent of consumers shop for healthy and naturalproducts at a warehouse or club store, up from 25 percent in 2001. In addition,17 percent of consumers are purchasing these types of products online, up fromonly 6 percent in 2001. A further 64 percent of consumers said they try tomaintain their healthy eating standards when eating away from home, with 43percent of consumers stating they would eat more fast food if it was availablein healthier versions.

As consumers adopt wellness-related products and practicesinto their lifestyles, they fully expect to be able to fully integrate withtheir lifestyles including where they shop for these products, said MaryellenMolyneaux, president of NMI (www.nmisolutions.com). Consumers want to findhealth and wellness products where they shop regularly, and choose organic, lowcarb or vegetarian options, for example, in their favorite restaurants orconvenience stores. Molyneaux added health and wellness consumers arediscerning shoppers and want companies to stand behind the marketing withcorporate initiatives, product sourcing and social endeavors that support theirpositions.