The Chinese consumer wants to pursue a "healthy" lifestyle but figuring out what that means can be very confusing.
Consumers report a growing interest in pursuing a healthy lifestyle, but their actual behaviors are much more mixed. Interpreting these conflicting messages is a challenge for consumer products companies in nearly every segment. In April 2020, AlixPartners surveyed 1,000 consumers in China about their health and wellness preferences, updating research we conducted in 2018. Our study looks at how these attitudes and behaviors are changing, as well as recommending ways in which companies can break down some of the barriers to healthier purchases and tap into unrealized potential.
AT A GLANCE
- Overall, the Chinese market and consumer have matured since 2018, with better quality and more accessible products and with consumers having greater awareness and discernment on the key attributes of healthy products.
- Consumers in China reported that the importance of a healthy lifestyle increased, with 76% saying it had become more important in the previous 12 months.
- However, they also indicate that barriers to purchasing healthy have increased with time and remain powerful.
- Among these barriers, price, confusion, and availability were the highest factors, but product appeal is also increasingly cited as a factor.