Mindy Albuck

A CNN/Time/Harris study in 2002 found that an astounding 82% of Americans believed there was still a lot of stigma attached to mental illness. However, Americans are finally opening up more about mental health. In fact, a 2019 poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association found that 87% of American adults agreed that having a mental health disorder is nothing to be ashamed of.

Personalized marketing drives success

IRI consumer research finds that nearly all respondents (96%) agree that mental health is as important as physical health. There are a lot of opportunities for manufacturers and retailers to address mental health but, to be successful, they must put themselves in the shoes — or mindset — of the consumer.

To better understand the varied combination of goals, behaviors and attitudes consumers have toward self-care, IRI has identified seven personas (see graphic) and has further distilled these consumer segments to identify proactive and reactive consumers.

Proactive consumers have increased their purchases of products that promote immunity, weight control and mental wellness and have demonstrated that they fortify their diets with added nutrients. They adhere to a routine to maintain mental health. Reactive consumers are more interested in one-off purchases that provide a solution for pain, lack of sleep or energy or anxiety. They want to “fix it and forget it.”

Mental wellness is a multifaceted concept

Consumers look at mental health from several perspectives, and manufacturers and retailers need to as well. IRI sees strong interaction between three benefit areas: Brain Support, including memory, concentration and nerve relief; Sleep, even preparing for sleep; and Stress, such as calming or relaxing. Among products that address these specific conditions, we see tremendous sales gains (see chart). Many products in the health and beauty department promote brain support, sleep and stress relief. Still, IRI finds an increasing array of products throughout the CPG landscape that support these wellness areas, from teas and smoothies to snack bars and frozen fish.

(Click to enlarge)

Retailers also are looking at how their total store assortment can support demand. Teas that deliver relaxation or sleep benefits, or products that boost cognitive health, including those with high levels of vitamins B, A, C, D, E and selenium and omega-3 fatty acids, are a few examples. Specific products include Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime; PepsiCo’s Driftwell; and Glaceau’s Tranquility, Renew and Clarity, among many others.

Successful retailers will combine three strategies:

• Leveraging loyalty programs to identify and segment consumers based on their attitudes about mental health — e.g., Proactive Prioritizer or Healthy Non-Prioritizer as well as their concept of mental health (brain support versus stress relief).
• Delivering personalized messaging that reflects those attitudes and their detailed knowledge of the consumer.
• Adjusting total store assortments to make available products that address each consumer’s concept of mental wellness.

Supporting workers benefits retailers and consumers

Beyond consumers, retailers see the toll that the past few years have taken and are providing support. Walgreens, for example, is expanding mental health first aid training to 27,000 of its pharmacists, the company announced in October 2021. The drug chain first introduced mental health first aid training in 2019, offering it to employees in its human resources department and then to some pharmacy staff. The program trains participants in mental health literacy, understanding risk factors and warning signs and strategies for helping people in both crisis and noncrisis situations.

(Click to enlarge)

Walgreens also recognizes that patients and customers might interact with pharmacists more than their primary health care provider due to not only traditional prescriptions but also accessibility. In addition to vaccinations, many drug channels are increasing their services to include consulting; care of nonemergency conditions; and support of common chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Aside from a source of coronavirus vaccinations, IRI data shows that in 2021 sales in the drug channel were up 10% from 2020.

The connections between varying types of health, be it gut health, skin health, oral health, physical health or mental health, to name a few, will continue to evolve. Retailers and manufacturers have an opportunity to better serve consumers — and their own workforce — by expanding products and services that support the total self.

Mindy Albuck is client insights principal for Healthcare at IRI. She can be reached at [email protected].