MICHAEL HUGHES
Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom

The market for digestive health claims across the European food, drink and supplements market is growing. This can be linked to the number of digestive health issues continuing to rise across the continent, and consumers being more proactive when it comes to addressing such problems. 

Only around half of all European consumers are totally satisfied with their digestive health, with problems such as gas and constipation being common. This is something that is having an impact on the quality of life of consumers.

As a result, there is a significant demand for products positioned around digestive health in Europe, particularly in the breakfast cereals and dairy sectors.

Digestive health problems are becoming more common across Europe. This is something that can be attributed to several factors from a consumer perspective. An ageing society and changing immune systems means that people are more vulnerable to digestive health problems. Importantly, the social taboo around discussing digestive health continues to fade in Europe. This is not only increasing consumer willingness to research such problems ...