Ewa Hudson, director of insights at Lumina Intelligence, told attendees at the recent IPA World Congress and Probiota 2025 that the digital transformation in health and fitness is happening rapidly, despite people’s natural resistance to changing habits.
“Changing people’s habits is a very difficult thing to do, but we’re seeing that the rise of consumer use of tracker apps and wearable technology is transforming consumer habits at an incredible pace,” Hudson said.
The impact of apps on supplement recommendations
When users see real-time deficiencies or trends—such as low vitamin levels, poor sleep quality or inadequate hydration—they are more likely to take action to address these concerns, Hudson explained.
According to the Lumina Intelligence data, across Europe (UK, Italy, France, Germany and Spain), 54% of the population reports using health or fitness apps and trackers. As these apps collect significant user data, this allows companies to personalize recommendations and target products effectively.
In terms of the style of the app, fitness tracking leads the way, with 33% of users monitoring workouts, followed by 19% tracking diet and 18% focusing on overall health. Apps for mental well-being and fertility tracking are also significantly used.
Notably, almost all app users reported purchasing at least one recommended product annually.
“Consumers are already turning to apps for product recommendations, and 93% of app users report purchasing health products—such as supplements—based on app suggestions,” Hudson shared.
And while consumers primarily buy supplements and sports products in physical stores (55%), many also shop through e-commerce (30%) or directly from the app (15% to 22%).
Changing consumer goals
Hudson explained that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a theory by psychologist Abraham Maslow, predicts how priorities shift as people age, driven by evolving needs.
As a result, health goals change over time. Young adults may prioritize fitness and performance, while older adults focus more on disease prevention and overall well-being.
“Aging, good health and longevity are now key health goals for the population,” she stated, noting that these priorities are especially prominent in countries such as Spain, Italy, France and the UK.
Interestingly, “getting better sleep” ranked second, followed by “supporting mood and mental health.”
Sleep, a primary concern for consumers between the ages of 18 and 35 takes precedence in these younger age groups. However, by ages 45 to 65, “healthy aging and longevity” becomes more important, and sleep shifts to a secondary priority.
Looking to biotics
Biotics have a growing relevance in the health marketplace, supporting the changing needs and priorities of people through life stages, Hudson dish, noting that 60% of Europeans report taking probiotics at least once a year, with 28% using them weekly.
“We’re already seeing significant shifts in consumer health goals and priorities, and the search for biotics reflects that,” she said.
According to the data, the most common reasons consumers take biotic supplements include improving gut microbiome health and overall well-being, followed by seeking improved sleep, as well as reducing the adverse effects of prescribed medication.
“The industry is well-prepared, with numerous studies and new strains of probiotics in the pipeline,” she said, emphasizing the rapid development and readiness to meet the growing demand for products targeting mental health and stress management.
Despite probiotics' popularity, information gaps persist, as only 36% of consumers report truly understanding their benefits, Hudson pointed out.
“There’s still work to be done in educating the public about the science behind probiotics,” she said.
At the same time, prebiotics are gaining traction, especially in the context of supporting GLP-1 agonist users.
“Prebiotics are emerging as key players, and products that combine prebiotics with probiotics may be particularly effective in addressing the needs of this population,” Hudson said.
“As the use of GLP-1 drugs continues to grow, particularly in the U.S., there’s potential for probiotic products that support the microbiome in light of these treatments.
“This presents a unique opportunity for probiotic products aimed at GLP-1 users, particularly in a post-treatment phase,” she said.
Future trends
As the microbiome science field continues to evolve, Hudson noted that the next frontier could be cellular aging, an area that probiotics have yet to fully explore.
“There’s growing interest in the role of probiotics in supporting cellular health and preventing neurodegenerative diseases,” she said.
“The combination of biotics, digital tools and a growing understanding of the microbiome presents huge opportunities for brands to innovate and meet the evolving needs of today’s health-conscious consumers.”