People Turn to Bottle for Daily Fix of VitaminsPopping pills are becoming the most popular way for Chinese to improve their health, according to a recent survey in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.The survey, carried out by the world leading marketing research company ACNielson Corporation, found that most people in the country today prefer taking a vitamin supplement over spending time preparing a nutritious meal. "Many are afraid that medicines will have side effects, but they don't want to take the trouble to stew soup," said Barry Tse, senior manager responsible for customized research. According to the survey, the most popular products were calcium, iron, ginseng, vitamin and honey-related products. According to a previous survey conducted by the same company, tonic and vitamin products top all advertising categories in China, increasing by nearly 58 percent to reach 8.94 billion yuan(about US$1.08 billion) last year. Health-enhancing products have always been a favorite on the Chinese market, particularly during festivals, when many people consider them most appropriate presents. But "buying them as gift is no longer the driving force behind supplement purchase," said Tse. The survey indicated that 51 percent of people now bought supplements for elderly relatives. Only 27 percent still gave them away as gifts. Middle-aged customers, the bulk of the purchases, who had experienced lots of hardship in their youth, are the most eager ones to provide the best for their children, according to the survey. "Our survey found that the products bring more psychological comfort than physical benefits," observed Tse. "The supplements relieved users of the worry of falling sick and built up hopes that they can regain their youth." The belief in supplement is particularly strong in people in southern China, who are known for their laborious preparation of dishes and meticulous efforts to lead quality lives. The survey showed, on the other hand, that many people are not resorting to such a buying for health. 43 percent in Beijing, 19 percent in Shanghai, and 7 percent in Guangzhou under the survey said they had never taken any kind of supplement. |
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