Overview|Amajorflurevivalimminent?

Howlikelyisaresurgenceinseasonalrespiratoryvirusesthiswinter?

Expertssuggestpeoplehavelosttheirnaturalimmunitytothecommonfluvirus,potentiallymeaningabigbounceinflulevels

Thismaybecounteredtoadegreebyimprovedhygienepractices,withmask-wearing,socialdistancing,washinghands,etc.helpingsuppressthespreadofviruses

•  Cough&coldseasonwashistoricallyweakin2020/21(seesidebarbelow)

•  Withlockdownrestrictions,increasedhygienemeasuresandsocialdistancinginforceforoverayeartoreducetheriskofcontractingCovid-19,theincidenceofcommonrespiratoryviruseshasbeenverylow

•  However,withthelackofexposuretoillnesses(especiallyamongyoungchildren),manypeoplehavenotbuiltupantibodies,meaningimmunesystemsmayhavebeeninadvertentlyweakened

•  ThishaspromptedwarningsofapotentialsurgeininfluenzawithreportsfromUKandUSAsuggestingaseverecold&fluseasonmaybeinstoreduringwinter2021-22

•  DatafromUK’sOfficeofNationalStatisticsshowthatintheweekending11thJune,84deathcertificatesissuedinEngland&WalesmentionedCovid,while1,163deathsinvolvingfluandpneumoniawereregistered

•  Additionally,astudybyHoustonMethodistResearchInstituteshowstherapidre-emergenceofseasonalrespiratoryvirusesfollowingtherelaxingofCovid-19restrictionsinTexasinMarch2021

✔

✖

Usualflu&respiratoryvirusesabsentduringCovidpandemic

CasesoffluandotherrespiratoryvirusesweresignificantlyreducedduringtheCovid-19pandemic,accordingtoresearchpresentedatthevirtualEuropeanCongressofClinicalMicrobiology&InfectiousDiseases(9-12July2021).Inaretrospectivestudy,WayneStateUniversityresearcherscomparedPCRtestresultsforvariousinfections,suchasinfluenzaAandBandrespiratorysyncytialvirus(RSV).Inthe2019-2020season,11.5%and12.4%ofinfluenzaAtests,13.1%and20.2%ofinfluenzaBtestsand9%and23.7%ofRSVtestswerepositiveinadultsandchildrenrespectively.Inthe2020-2021season,allfluandRSVtestswerenegativeinadultsandchildrenwiththeexceptionofonepositiveRSVtestinachild.

VitaminD|USvitaminDsalesrocketin2020thankstoimmunitylink

•  NewChapterFermentedVitaminD3(P&G;November2019),featuringfermentedvitaminD3forenhancedabsorption,andpositionedtosupportstrongbonesandteeth,healthyimmunefunctionandhearthealth

•  TB12,theperformancelifestylebrandfoundedbyNFLstarTomBrady,wasextended–inpartnershipwithAtriumInnovations/Nestlé–in2019withalineofnutritionalsupplementsthatareNSF-certifiedforsport,includingTB12VitaminD,positionedtosupporttheimmunesystemandmusclerecovery

CRNlaunchesVitaminD&Me!

•  TheCRNFoundationlaunched“VitaminD&Me!”(vitamindandme.org),aconsumereducationinitiativeonvitaminDandCovid-19,inMay2021

•  Itpresentsresearch,expertvideointerviewsandnewsinauser-friendlyformatdevelopedbyCRNmemberNutrasource,focusingonconsumersaged55+years;olderadultsaremorepronetovitaminDdeficiencyandareathigherriskfromworseoutcomesfromCovidandotherrespiratoryinfections

•  Thewebsitefeaturesasectionon“VitaminD:ImmuneHealth,Levels,andIntake”,inwhichtheCRNsupportsvitaminD’slinktoimmunehealth(seeright)

•  CRNFoundationPresident,SteveMister,stated“wehavebeenfascinated…attheamountofresearchbeingconductedexaminingthepotentialrelationshipbetweenvitaminDandCovid-19.[Weare]deliveringunbiasededucationonthelatestscience,whichhelpspeoplemakesmarterdecisionstomaintaintheirhealth”

Chyawanprash|Covid-19claimandadjustedstrategyboostedsalesforDabur

•  However,advertisinganddistributingDaburChyawanprashprovedachallengeduringthepandemicaspeoplewerereluctanttostepoutoftheirhouse

•  Houseboundaudiencesstoppedbuyingnewspapers(themainvehicleforprintads)andtherewerefewerpeopleout&abouttoseeout-of-homebillboardsandlistentoradioadsincars

•  Asaresult,DaburlaunchedaCovid-adaptedmarketingstrategyfocusedonTVanddigital,adoptinganinformationdisseminationapproachthateducatedconsumersabouttheimmunitybenefitsofchyawanprash,includingviaHCPendorsement

•  Daburalsointroduced12ImmunityVansduringthepandemictodeliverimmunity-boostingproductssuchasDaburChyawanprashtoconsumers’doorsteps–bringingthebranddirectlytoconsumers

•  DabursponsoredaclinicaltrialinvestigatingCovid-19incidenceamongparticipantsreceivingDaburChyawanprashwhichfound2.38%testedpositiveforCovid-19vs28.57%inthecontrolgroup–thesefindingsprovidedastrongsalesboostforthebrand

•  Additionally,ithelpedtojustifythebrand’spremiumpricingandtomitigatethethreatfromalower-costmid-tierentryfromPatanjali

•  Traditionallythechyawanprashcategoryisheavilyreliantontheseverityofthewinterseason,whenpurchaseswillusuallypeak,butDabur’scurrentA+PcampaignalongsidetheCovidclaimencourageswiderusethroughouttheyear

Foods&beverages|Brandsforimmunityseeingrapidexpansion

Withsoaringconsumerinterest,immunehealthopportunityisbeingfullyexploitedbyfood&drinkbrands

•  6of10globalconsumersareincreasinglylookingforfood&beverageproductsthatsupporttheirimmunehealth(InnovaConsumerSurvey2020),with1in3sayingconcernsaboutimmunehealthincreasedin2020over2019

•  ImprovingimmunefunctionwasatoppriorityforconsumersevenbeforeCovidpandemic,e.g.87%ofthosesurveyedin2017expressedinterestinpurchasingbeveragesandfoodswithimmune-healthbenefits(Mintel’sNutritionandPerformanceDrinks–US,March2017)

•  Immunity-boostingingredientsliketurmeric,greentea,garlic,honeyandcitrusfruitsarebeingaddedtofoods&beveragesinrecognitionoftheircontributiontowardsawell-functioningimmunesystem

•  Diverserangeofproductsareexplicitlyaddingimmunitypositioning,claiming“Immunesupport”orsimilaronpackaging

•  AccordingtoInnova,immunesupportclaimsarefocusedonthreefood&drinkcategories:

Ø  Babies&Toddlers(particularlymilks)

Ø  SportsNutrition(powders)

Ø  Dairy(drinkingyogurts/fermentedbeverages)

•  Smallerbutgrowingsubcategoriesincludesoftdrinksandhotbeverages,withaparticularinterestinjuicedrinksandtea

•  Convenienceandlowpricepointarekeyfactors–unlikewithsupplements,consumersbuyinganimmunitybeveragearenotcommittingtobuyinga30-60-pillbottleatapremiumprice

•  BUTindustrybodiescounselcaution–itisalltooeasytofallintothetrapofmakingunsupportedhealthclaims

•  Brandsmustensurethatmessagingaccuratelyconveysallingredientbenefits,withoutembellishment/overclaiming;simplecontentwithstraightforwardadviceisthebestapproach