Gummy bears as a food supplement? What is going on?

Gummies represent a new form of dosage in nutraceuticals. Similar to but not the same as classic jelly sweets, the new gummies are depopulating the dietary supplement market.

In the most diverse forms, including the famous gummy bears so beloved by children, they are shifting consumer choice away from the historical capsules or tablets.
The reason? Let’s find out together.

The market today

Sweets as supplements saw a growth rate of 34%[1] worldwide from 2016 to 2021. This figure certainly makes you think and wonder, why? When asking consumers what is the most important aspect of a supplement , the answer is taste. Indeed, a global market trend analysis conducted in 2022 showed that 78% of consumers put taste as the number one purchase determinant. Before a food supplement can be effective, it has to be good!

Not only that, another very interesting fact is that 45% of individuals – young and old – have swallowing problems. Specifically, these are psychosomatic swallowing disorders such as globus hystericus, a feeling of blockage in the throat accompanied by a fear of choking that can lead the sufferer to avoid consuming certain foods or pharmaceuticals.[2]

Pro-Gummies

As you too may have noticed, with the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been an increasing focus on personal health and well-being, leading to an upswing in the use and demand for dietary supplements. Yet, food supplements in capsule or tablet form no longer meet the needs of consumers, who are becoming increasingly reluctant to avail of these dosage forms.
A certain pleasantness is needed in integration, wouldn’t you agree? And here are the reasons why gummies have taken over a significant share of the nutraceutical market:

1. They are good and tasty, important characteristics not only for children but increasingly also for adults;
2. They are a chewable, which not only makes them suitable for people with swallowing problems but also allows them to be taken without water and at any time of the day – what’s more, chewing means smaller chunks that can be more readily absorbed in the intestine because of the greater surface area of contact with the intestine and digestive enzymes;
3. They are versatile dosage forms – you may have heard that fewer active ingredients are contained in gummies than in capsules and tablets yet this is only partially true.

Unlike capsules and tablets, gummies are chewed and thus we can take greater liberties with their size. The larger the size, the more space there is for active ingredients, resolving any problems merely by choosing the right size. For smaller gummies, such as the classic teddy bears, it is possible to compensate for this reduction in space for functional components by recommending that several gummies be taken per day, whilst still maintaining high consumer compliance.

Food supplements in Gummies = Sugar? No

Although the similarity between jelly sweets and gummies is high, food supplements in gummies form are formulated with the same attention to consumer needs as capsules/tablets.

You’ll likely agree with us in defining the following characteristics as those most sought after by customers when looking for a food supplement:

  • It must be good;
  • It must have no added sugar;
  • It must be suitable for vegans thus free from animal gelatine;
  • It must be gluten-free;
  • It must be lactose-free.

All of these characteristics also apply to gummies and are all guaranteed by the most attentive brands!

These are the reasons why we are witnessing a boom in gummies!

 

Curated by Dr. Chiara Facchinetti

 

[1] Nutraceutical Gummies in Europe – Market Trends. Vitafoods 2022.

[2] Paolo Prunetti,”DISFAGIA PSICOGENA Metodi di valutazione e trattamenti”, Fondazione Mondino.