Australian adults who take multivitamins are becoming more convinced about their perceived benefits, a new survey from Canstar Blue shows.
Of 1,693 consumers surveyed in January 2016, 71 per cent said they are convinced the multivitamins they buy live up to their claims, up from 64 per cent in January 2015.
The number of consumers who claim to feel better when they regularly take multivitamins has remained the same at 76 per cent.
“These type of supplements divide medical and consumer opinion, and the manufacturers face a challenge to convince people about their merits,” said head of Canstar Blue, Megan Doyle.
“That being said, 29 per cent is still a significant number of consumers buying and taking multivitamins when they’re not convinced about their claims. If they are not convinced about their benefits, why are they taking them?”
The survey, of adults who have bought and consumed any brand of multivitamin in the last 12 months, found that the majority of adults (43 per cent) take them because of the perceived health benefits.
After that, 23 per cent said they take multivitamins to give them more energy, 13 per cent said they were prescribed by a health professional and 11 per cent cited mental well-being as their reason. The remaining 10 per cent either take them because their family or friendly suggested them (5 per cent), or they simply don’t know why (5 per cent).
