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The large number of dietary supplements that are available in the Hong Kong market has created a high degree of fragmentation within the sub sector. No single brand has managed to carve any significant share, reflecting the stiff competition as well as the lack of brand loyalty among consumers. For brands whose value share could be estimated, they captured less than one per cent of the value sales.
Eye health supplements have yet to take off. Hong Kong has one of the highest rates of myopia in the world, which offers strong potential for eye health supplements.
Traditionally, dietary supplements containing glucosamine are the only products known to maintain the health of joints and cartilage. Since 2000, manufacturers of glucosamine focused on heightening public awareness of joint pain and the increased public consciousness led to steady sales of glucosamine in Hong Kong, with value sales reaching HK$5 million in 2004, representing growth of two per cent.
The law in Hong Kong does not provide a legal definition of healthcare food products. Owing to this, legislation on health food products is based on ingredients.
Healthcare products that contain Western medicines are subject to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, while those containing Chinese medicines fall under the regulation of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance.
Healthcare products that have neither type of medicines are classified as general food and need not be registered. Many of the dietary supplements and slimming products sold in Hong Kong fall within the general food category.
In Hong Kong, there is no official definition of the term healthcare food products, as the government believes that there is no universally accepted definition of health food.
Different terms such as dietary supplements, functional foods, nutraceuticals, designer foods and natural health products are used in different contexts to refer to this group of products.
Health food products commonly sold in Hong Kong include:
- Vitamin and mineral supplements
- Shark liver oil capsules
- Shark cartilage capsules
- Deep sea fish oil capsules
- Chinese medicinal fungi
- Herbal pills
- Royal jelly extracts
- Pollen tablets
- Aloe extracts
At least two-thirds of healthcare food products sold in Hong Kong contain Chinese medicines.
Hong Kong has no specific regulations established for health and wellness healthcare products. They are subject to the current food and drug regulations, which fall under four different ordinances:
- Public Health and Municipal Service Ordinance (PHMSO)
- Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (PPO)
- Chinese Medicine Ordinance (CMO)
- Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance (UMAO)
In the absence of a legal definition, legislation on health food products is based on ingredients.
In Hong Kong, drug stores/parapharmacies take up the largest share of retail trade of health and wellness healthcare products, since these channels include the Chinese Medical Halls.
In line with the growing popularity of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), some Chinese Medical Halls have modernised their stores, while companies that focused on TCM have developed their own outlets.
Health and wellness healthcare products can also be purchased through direct selling and the Internet. The former is most successful in the distribution of vitamins and dietary supplements – 30 per cent of value sales in 2004 were accounted by direct sales.
Online selling has not taken off, since most brick and mortar outlets are within easy reach for consumers. Apart from these conventional outlets, slimming centres, beauty and health spas are also engaged in selling health and wellness products, in particular those that are aimed at weight management.
Department of Health - www.info.gov.hk/dh/new/index.htm
Pharmaceutical Service, Department of Health, HKSAR - www.psdh.gov.hk/eps/index.jsp |