Health supplements see rise in demand as awareness increases

With consumers' healthcare awareness increasing, the consumption of health supplements has been rising, according to latest exhibitions.

The Healthplex Expo 2026, and the Natural and Nutraceutical Products China 2026, jointly held by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products and Shanghai Sinoexpo Informa Markets International Exhibition Co Ltd, were held in Shanghai between June 15 and June 17.

The expos, covering an area of over 200,000 square meters, saw more than 2,500 exhibitors from home and abroad and 120,000 visitors. The expos, relying on profound industry accumulation and global trade resources, have become a one-stop platform for enterprises to expand their markets, connect channels, and grasp policies, fully stimulating innovative vitality in the field of health and nutrition.

Currently, with the deepening implementation of the health priority development strategy in the 15th Five-Year Plan, China's health services are accelerating the transformation from "disease-centered" to "health-centered", and strengthening full cycle health management.

In this context, the demand for health consumption continues to rise: from basic healthcare to quality upgrades and precise maintenance. The food and medicine industry is moving toward standardization and refinement. Functional foods are becoming increasingly scene-based and personalized. New tracks such as healing economy and new Chinese health preservation are also flourishing, experts said.

Against the backdrop of complex and ever-changing global trade environment, geopolitical and supply chain fluctuations, China's nutrition and health food industry still demonstrated strong development resilience. Data from the CCCMHPIE showed that in 2025, the import and export volume of the industry reached nearly $12.9 billion, up 7.1 percent on a year-on-year basis.

The import volume rose 6.9 percent year-on-year to nearly $8.3 billion, while the export volume increased by 7.8 percent year-on-year to $4.6 billion. The trade deficit was around $3.68 billion, realizing increasing for three consecutive years, said the CCCMHPIE.