Taste and health have long been key purchasing drivers in the dairy space, but consumer preferences for what makes a healthy, tasty choice have evolved over time. Years ago, the perception of health was often linked to diet and weight management; but today, consumers have a broader understanding of the concept. According to Euromonitor’s Food for Body and Mind 2021 report, around 62% of consumers now consider a strong immune system to be a key part of their definition of health.
This increased awareness is steering consumers’ interest towards immunity, performance and gut health products. Refrigerated yogurt drinks, including gut health shots like Danone’s Actimel and Yakult, are one of the top-selling subcategories in US dairy according to Circana.
In the UK, Actimel leads in the yogurt drinks segment according to Mintel’s 2024 Yogurt and Yogurt Drinks Market report, while Danone’s active and performance nutrition brand GetPro is also driving growth in the category. Mintel also found that 3 in 4 UK shoppers consume spoonable or drinking yogurt, with half of adults linking live bacteria with emotional wellbeing, and 1 in 6 new product launches feature gut health claims.
Pairing functionality and convenience
As it marks Actimel’s 30th anniversary, the dairy major is releasing a product formulation that addresses both functional nutrition and convenience. Initially focused on just probiotics, Actimel saw new product ranges such as Actimel 0% and a Kids' range introduced in the 2000s, with the original formula evolving in 2010 to include vitamins D and B6 to support immunity. This R&D has now culminated in the brand’s latest release, Actimel+ Triple Action.
Rolling out in 20 European countries this fall, the new yogurt shot is fortified with vitamins B6, C and D as well as magnesium to address common nutritional shortfalls, Danone told us. Research2 shows that 40% of European population does not meet the recommended daily intake of vitamin D, primarily due to insufficient sun exposure and a lack of vitamin D-rich food in their diets; while many also suffer from magnesium and vitamin C deficiencies, often as a result of limited dietary variety and unbalanced eating habits. In addition, the formulation contains L. casei probiotic cultures to enhance gut health.
“Danone was one of the pioneers in launching immunity-focused yogurt shots in the mid-1990s, helping to shape and grow this emerging category,” a spokesperson for the company said. “At that time, the market for probiotic and immune-support drinks was just beginning to take form, with only a few key players involved.
“One of the key challenges that we’re working to tackle is how to deliver benefits to consumers who are increasingly interested in supporting their immunity and wider health. With 100% of consumer’s daily reference intake of vitamin D, Actimel Triple Action also contains antioxidant properties thanks to vitamin C, and magnesium to help reduce tiredness and fatigue.”
Lighter packaging
Alongside the launch, Danone also announced it has reduced the amount of plastic packaging used across the range and is now offering larger bottles that contain less plastic while having switched away from traditional labels on small bottles to reduce waste and emissions.
“We have reduced plastic usage across the Actimel range by lightening the weight of our plastic bottles by 40% since 1994,” a Danone spokesperson told us. “We have eliminated plastic labels on smaller bottles, replacing them with embossed data, which has saved 868 tons of plastic annually in Europe. In France, we are also offering larger bottles which contain 17% less plastic compared to the same quantity of Actimel contained in our small bottles.
“In 2023, we removed the labels from small Actimel bottles in the EU, with the exception of our Actimel Kids range, Plant-based and single bottles, as part of our broader sustainability initiatives. Instead of using traditional plastic labels, we now print directly onto the bottles using a new technique called ‘direct-to-bottle printing’. This method eliminates the need for additional materials like plastic or paper labels, reducing waste and improving the recyclability of the packaging.”
More widely across its product portfolio, the dairy major told us it is reducing its reliance on virgin plastic; exploring alternative packaging materials, and improving sustainability across its product lines. “We have an ambition to halve our use of virgin fossil-based packaging by 2040, with a 30% reduction by 2030,” the company spokesperson said. “For example, we have reduced plastic usage in our water bottles, such as the Evian range, by adopting thinner bottle designs and using recycled PET. Like Actimel, we have also removed the labels from the Danacol range in Spain.”
Available in peach-passion fruit, strawberry pomegranate, blueberry-blackberry and orange-peach flavors, the Actimel+ Triple Action range will be sold in all major European retailers in 20 countries across Europe, including in France, the UK, Germany, Spain, and Italy. It will be produced in Belgium and Spain.
Sources:
Circana Core Outlets Total US MULO+C, 52w/e December 31, 2023
Cashman KD et al. Vitamin D deficiency in Europe: pandemic? Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;103:1033–44
