Consumer Probiotics Awareness Still Low

Consumer Probiotics Awareness Still Low

LONDON--Limited consumer awareness threatens to restrain thedevelopment of the U.S. and European probiotics markets, according to a newreport from the market research firm Frost & Sullivan. They found consumerknowledge of probiotics is extremely low in the United States and the UnitedKingdom, and is restricted to a few specific products.

Among the challenges facing the market is the fact that probioticmanufacturers are not in direct contact with consumers--they must rely onmanufacturers to market the benefits--and the lack of independent scientificstudies supporting product claims. In addition, manufacturers are working todevelop new food applications to enlarge possible product segments to reachconsumers.

Frost & Sullivan (http://food.frost.com)forecasts the European probiotics market will grow to $137.9 million by 2010 andthe U.S. market will reach $394 million.