Britons are gaining weight fast. Mintel estimates that by 2005, 24% of Uk women and 18% of UK men will be cliniaclly obese. For meal replacement products such as SlimFast, this is good news and the brand was valued at £66.2m in grocery in mid-October, up 31% on the previous year (Taylor Nelson Sofres).
Meal replacement products continue to dominate the slimming foods market, accounting for more than 90% of total value, a position that SlimFast maintains through high levels of advertising expenditure. Supermarkets, increasingly, are claiming a significant share of distribution and are set to become major players as own label slimming and low-fat foods gain momentum.
As projected obesity levels are realised, the market is likely to benefit from rapid value and volume growth, but the actual uplift will depend on new product development, lifestyle changes that continue to lower exercise levels, and acceptance of slimming products by wider age ranges and, crucially, by men.
Juliette Atkins, brand manager at distributor DDD, says that continued health concerns over the side-effects of diet pills are expected to dampen demand for dieting aids, although licensed herbal products, such as Adios, launched in 2000, should help overcome the stigma and the scepticism attached to this sector.
Like hangover remedies, dieting aids also benefit from a second peak in the summer, as consumers' thoughts turn to their holidays. Used by 17% of the adult population, artificial sweeteners are valued at £55.8m in grocery, down 3% on the previous year (TNS).
To cash in on the expected January uplift, Canderel is planning what marketing manager Jayne McIntosh calls "the biggest news in sweeteners since the launch of Canderel". The aim is to do a Diet Coke, and reposition the brand as a real alternative to sugar, following the brand's repack at the end of October.
A heavyweight consumer and trade programme promises something "radical" in January. Canderel is also using the opportunity to revamp certain SKUs such as its Slim pocket-pack, into more collectable packaging.
Tesco says such sales peaks will be reflected in its in-store promotion planning.
For its part, Hermesetas manufacturer Hermes Sweeteners says it will be seeking prime positions and promotions this Christmas but has no Christmas or New Year advertising planned, preferring to position itself as part of a healthy lifestyle rather than a dieting product, says a company spokesperson.
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Meal replacement products continue to dominate the slimming foods market, accounting for more than 90% of total value, a position that SlimFast maintains through high levels of advertising expenditure. Supermarkets, increasingly, are claiming a significant share of distribution and are set to become major players as own label slimming and low-fat foods gain momentum.
As projected obesity levels are realised, the market is likely to benefit from rapid value and volume growth, but the actual uplift will depend on new product development, lifestyle changes that continue to lower exercise levels, and acceptance of slimming products by wider age ranges and, crucially, by men.
Juliette Atkins, brand manager at distributor DDD, says that continued health concerns over the side-effects of diet pills are expected to dampen demand for dieting aids, although licensed herbal products, such as Adios, launched in 2000, should help overcome the stigma and the scepticism attached to this sector.
Like hangover remedies, dieting aids also benefit from a second peak in the summer, as consumers' thoughts turn to their holidays. Used by 17% of the adult population, artificial sweeteners are valued at £55.8m in grocery, down 3% on the previous year (TNS).
To cash in on the expected January uplift, Canderel is planning what marketing manager Jayne McIntosh calls "the biggest news in sweeteners since the launch of Canderel". The aim is to do a Diet Coke, and reposition the brand as a real alternative to sugar, following the brand's repack at the end of October.
A heavyweight consumer and trade programme promises something "radical" in January. Canderel is also using the opportunity to revamp certain SKUs such as its Slim pocket-pack, into more collectable packaging.
Tesco says such sales peaks will be reflected in its in-store promotion planning.
For its part, Hermesetas manufacturer Hermes Sweeteners says it will be seeking prime positions and promotions this Christmas but has no Christmas or New Year advertising planned, preferring to position itself as part of a healthy lifestyle rather than a dieting product, says a company spokesperson.
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