WHOLE HEALTH'S LUCKY NUMBERS: TOP CATEGORIES

The First thing that's noticeable about this list of top health and wellness categories is just how varied they are. Indeed, they touch on almost every single supermarket department. Water, frozens, disposable plates and pet food are right up there with vitamins, meal starters, produce and household cleaners.

iving shoppers into stores? Some pretty universal health concerns, from the looks of it. The chart on this page reveals the top five reasons consumers seek out solutions in the form of supplements, diet or food. Several are the result of aging, and those numbers will only increase as baby boomers get older and strive to maintain their active lifestyles.

The subsequent tables, compiled by SPINS, the San Francisco-based market research firm, represent the top food and nonfood categories that contain a component of health and wellness within them. They are presented in a number of ways: top dollar sales, top unit volume, top dollar growth, top dollar sales declines. Each one provides a slightly different picture, but the one that will likely get the most scrutiny will be the table detailing the top growth categories. Over the past year, consumers have embraced the health benefits of cocoa and chocolate, and of yogurt, and both get a mention on this chart. There's also a nod to functional beverages and homeopathic remedies, two other areas of hot growth.

On the nonfood side, three of the five lines are taken by skin care, cosmetics and body care. Again, this could be a result of boomer vanity at work, but also might reflect the growing number of men who are using HBC products, or new moms who are purchasing items just coming on the market for their babies.

TOP HEALTH CONCERNS

Natural Supermarkets and Conventional Food/Drug/Mass

Health Concern; 2005; 2004; % CHANGE

Hypertension: $630,278,703; $649,927,338; (3.0%)

Osteoporosis: $600,584,240; $637,478,396; (5.8%)

Common Cold: $453,501,247; $365,281,597; 24.2%

Weight Loss: $451,416,392; $539,197,701; (16.3%)

Osteoarthritis: $374,925,679; $353,933,730; 5.9%

Note: Covers natural food stores >$2MM; excludes Wal-Mart - Source: SPINSscan Natural and Conventional Channels

TOP CATEGORIES IN DOLLAR SALES

Conventional Food/Drug/Mass

Natural Food/Beverage, Vitamins/Supplements

Departments: 2005; 2004; % Change

WATER: $2,134,485,576; $1,589,468,520; 34.3%

PACKAGED FRESH PRODUCE: $1,463,228,544; $1,198,463,584; 22.1%

VITAMINS & MINERALS: $1,354,184,552; $1,427,526,328; (5.1%)

CARBONATED FUNCTIONAL & RTD TEA & COFFEE BEVS: $1,025,440,944; $719,626,380; 42.5%

MEAL REPLACEMENTS & SUPPLEMENT POWDERS: $655,195,136; $718,469,528; (8.8%)

Green Body Care, General Merchandise

Departments: 2005; 2004; % Change

PAPER & PLASTIC& HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS: $147,838,893; $148,219,293; (0.3%)

PERSONAL CARE & FIRST AID: $66,654,422; $62,054,552; 7.4%

PET FOOD & PET CARE: $52,708,476; $26,790,800; 96.7%

SKIN CARE: $49,246,306; $36,103,563; 36.4%

HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS & SUPPLIES: $48,633,243; $46,243,988; 5.2%

TOP CATEGORIES IN UNIT VOLUME

Conventional Food/Drug/Mass

Natural Food/Beverage, Vitamins/Supplements

Departments: 2005; 2004; % Change

WATER: 842,268,317; 642,315,776; 31.1%

CARBONATED FUNCTIONAL & RTD TEA & COFFEE BEVS: 579,681,434; 438,957,506; 32.1%

PACKAGED FRESH PRODUCE: 526,210,617; 439,436,881; 19.7%

ENERGY BARS & GELS: 330,102,735; 351,009,178; (6.0%)

YOGURT & KEFIR: 219,788,792; 151,089,561; 45.5%

Green Body Care, General Merchandise

Departments: 2005; 2004; % Change

PAPER & PLASTIC & HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS: 74,206,274; 81,846,595; (9.3%)

HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS & SUPPLIES: 14,983,198; 15,428,313; (2.9%)

SKIN CARE: 11,833,628; 8,555,036; 38.3%

PET FOOD & PET CARE: 9,307,981; 6,040,314; 54.1%

ORAL CARE: 8,952,398; 8,804,568; 1.7%

Note: Excludes Wal-Mart o Source: SPINSscan Conventional

TOP CATEGORIES IN DOLLAR GROWTH

Conventional Food/Drug/Mass

Natural Food/Beverage, Vitamins/Supplements

Departments: 20052004; % Change

SHELF STABLE PASTAS: $88,522,263; $62,252,868; 42.2%

OMEOPATHIC MEDICINES: $180,471,236; $128,974,103; 39.9%

CARBONATED FUNCTIONAL & RTD TEA & COFFEE BEVS: $1,024,426,280; $735,170,107; 39.3%

COFFEE & COFFEE SUBSTITUTES & COCOA: $86,860,576; $62,359,499; 39.3%

YOGURT & KEFIR: $327,883,305; $242,391,147; 35.3%

Green Body Care, General Merchandise

Departments: 2005; 2004; % Change

BODYCARE KITS & SETS & TRAVEL PACKS: $7,729,855; $3,181,510; 143.0%

PET FOOD & PET CARE: $52,714,327; $26,790,804; 96.8%

COSMETICS & BEAUTY AIDS: $185,195; $131,634; 40.7%

SKIN CARE: $49,256,483; $36,113,378; 36.4%

FLOWER ESSENCES: $667,239; $489,510; 36.3%

TOP CATEGORIES IN DOLLAR SALES DECLINES

Conventional Food/Drug/Mass

Natural Food/Beverage, Vitamins/Supplements

Departments: 2005; 2004; % Change

ENERGY BARS & GELS: $538,161,695; $587,267,720; (8.4%)

MEAL REPLACEMENTS & SUPPLEMENT POWDERS: $655,398,060; $718,623,494; (8.8%)

DIET FORMULAS: $209,618,340; $245,669,545; (14.7%)

CANDY & INDIVIDUAL SNACKS: $30,908,366; $41,560,586; (25.6%)

FROZEN & REFR MEATSPOULTRY & SEAFOOD: $1,887,047; $2,712,234; (30.4%)

Green Body Care, General Merchandise Departments N/A

Note: Excludes Wal-Mart o Source: SPINSscan Conventional