Graying demographic ranks, health-savvy youth driving supplements sector

The dietary supplement industry is experiencing robust growth in China, fueled by factors such as an aging population and increasing attention paid to health and wellness among the younger generation, propelling rapid market expansion in various segments, experts and executives said.

Though China's dietary supplement market has long been dominated by established foreign brands, domestic manufacturers, with greater efforts to refine their products, are strengthening their distribution networks and building consumer trust, and are now poised to catch up and compete with their international counterparts, they added.

Due in large part to rising disposable incomes and a growing number of health-conscious consumers — both young and old — the dietary supplement business in China has grown significantly in recent years, said Zhang Yongjian, a food and drug research director with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.