China Expected To Become World's Largest Consumer Of Nutritional Supplements In 2010

With increasing health and wellness awareness, China should become the world’s top consumer of nutrional supplements in 2010. China’s sales of nutrional supplements more than doubled from US$5.6 billion in 2006 to US$13.4 billion in 2009, making it the second largest purchaser in the world after the United States (US$16.1 billion in 2009). This rapid growth has come with changes in industry structure. In previous years, sales companies played the role of a middleman between pharmacists and supplement manufacturers. However this role is no longer needed because of increasing competition and the rise of pharmacy chains that have better marketing capabilities; instead, suppliers can now sell direct to pharmacy chains. Notably, health products and supplements have replaced drugs as the most profitable category for drug stores.