A topline report from the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN),
the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry
Know your supplement consumer: 2019 CRN Consumer Survey data now available
CRN’s 2019 Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements is a leading source of data on what American adults are taking, why, where they purchase—and much more. A resource for CRN member stakeholders for 20 years, CRN’s survey is now available for the first time to the public. Topline results reaffirm the increasingly important role dietary supplements play in the self-care regimens of Americans, revealing the highest overall dietary supplement usage figure to date at 77 percent of the national population. The 2019 CRN Consumer Survey presents data on delivery form preferences, motivations for taking dietary supplements, purchasing factors, shopping habits—including e-commerce—and statistics on usage of newer supplements like CBD and nootropics. For more information and to purchase survey results, contact Holly Vogtman.
Get access to CRN’s dietary supplement resources for retailers
CRN is committed to expanding opportunities for the dietary supplement industry and enhancing connections between retailers and manufacturers by serving as an indispensable source of industry expertise. In addition to CRN's Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, CRN’s recent efforts to provide retailers with valuable insights on industry developments and consumer trends include presentations and webinars that will help you:
- Examine the latest dietary supplement consumer trends
- Learn of opportunities for supplement vendors to provide customers with more information about the supplements they buy
- Get tips on positioning your store as the community healthcare center for wellness
- Learn about the latest science behind hemp-derived CBD in dietary supplements and important legal considerations for retailers interested in entering the CBD space
- Learn about the current regulatory status of CBD and existing efforts to clarify a legal pathway for the ingredient in dietary supplements
Learn more about these resources...
Consumer Reports investigation overlooks true risk to consumers, mischaracterizes dietary supplements, calls out retail staff shortcomings
CRN hit back hard against a recent Consumer Reports investigation of herbal dietary supplement products, calling it “a thinly veiled and poorly researched assault on the dietary supplement industry with ill-informed opinion posing as fact,” and addressing the true risk consumers face—adulterated products. “If Consumer Reports’ intention is to expose threats and warn consumers, then the publication utterly failed. Today, consumers are actually at risk from adulterated products, and while this threat exists only at the fringes of the industry, it is one that can and must be eradicated…one common sense way to achieve that is by creating a mandatory product listing.” Mr. Mister noted that a mandatory product registry would allow FDA to see the breadth and extent of the supplement marketplace and FDA to determine who is using a particular ingredient, what claims are being made on the label, and whether the contact information for reporting an adverse event is properly provided. “Responsible actors have nothing to fear from a mandatory product registry,” said Mr. Mister.
Of note, the Consumer Reports article also takes aim at retailers, warning, “If you’re shopping for supplements in a store, don’t expect much help from the pharmacist or other staffers,” and claims that in most cases, “pharmacists weren’t familiar with potential risks for the supplements on their shelves and rarely warned customers about problems such as interactions with prescription medications.” See available CRN resources for retailers in the above story as well as in the following item on our Label Wise consumer education campaign, and contact us for additional information. Read CRN’s full statement in response to Consumer Reports here.
CRN helps educate consumers on changes to Supplement Facts labels—latest efforts include radio and newspaper
Retailers encouraged to share brandable educational materials
CRN’s “Label Wise” campaign continues to reach consumers as the first deadline for large dietary supplement manufacturers to comply with newly-mandated Supplement Facts label changes approaches in 2020. CRN distributed a Label Wise feature story to thousands of local media outlets and syndicated a radio spot to more than five million listeners. In addition, CRN’s Brian Wommack spoke on the air during a radio media tour airing on stations across the country, such as WLIB-AM in New York City, with these efforts reaching a combined audience of more than 149 million to date. Mr. Wommack also recently spoke on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) National Programs ‘The Bistro’ podcast. He pointed listeners to the BeLabelWise.org website with additional information including a video fact sheet, infographic and more. Retailers can access these materials for consumer education and receive non-branded native files from CRN to distribute to their own customers. Contact Gretchen Powers for more information.
Retailers should note that dietary supplement companies will have a little more time to comply with the new Nutrition and Supplement Facts labeling requirements that go into effect Jan. 1, 2020. FDA recently announced it will not take enforcement action related to the new labeling requirements for another six months, allowing additional time for companies to demonstrate compliance.
Industry urges Congressional action on CBD, observing ‘an FDA that’s paralyzed’
Congress should act swiftly to clarify the legal status of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) dietary supplements, given FDA’s inaction despite strong consumer interest and growth of the marketplace, CRN urged in a joint letter from industry delivered Oct. 8. The letter called on Congress to enact a statutory change this year, noting that FDA’s estimation of a three- to five-year timeline for even an expedited rule-making process is far too long and puts consumers at risk. “These actions are urgent given the strong consumer interest in CBD, the growth in products and sales, and the need for clarity among consumers, retailers, and manufacturers about the legal status of these products,” the letter noted. In an earlier statement, CRN urged FDA to “exercise the statutory discretion provided to it in the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act to recognize a new legal category of CBD dietary supplements.”
At CRN’s annual conference, Nov. 7, Lowell Schiller, FDA principal associate commissioner for policy, said the agency would learn about CBD as quickly possibly, but that, “there is a lot we don’t know about long term use and there are no special rules for CBD.” Read more on Mr. Schiller’s remarks about CBD in conference coverage by NutraIngredients.com and Nutritional Outlook.