Health-conscious consumers are a highly desirable market segment for business owners such as chiropractors, in addition to manufacturers and retailers. A study published in the International Journal of Research in Marketing sought to reveal how large this segment of consumers really is. The study's authors also wanted to find out how "price-sensitive" health-conscious consumers are.
The researchers used a sample of 1062 households and looked at what the households purchased in grocery stores in ten common grocery categories. The scientists controlled the variable of price, distinguished the difference between health-conscious choices and intrinsic preferences, and analyzed each household's grocery purchases over multiple categories with multiple nutritional attributes.
The study found that about 18% of the households were health-conscious based on their criteria model. The researchers also found a connection that the more health-conscious a household is, the less price-sensitive it is.
While this market segment is not yet the majority, it is likely one that is steadily growing. Health-conscious families are likely to seek chiropractors and other more natural healthcare providers as the healthiest choices for wellness.
Reference
Prasad A, Strijnev A, Zhang Q. What can grocery basket data tell us about health consciousness? International Journal of Research in Marketing 2008; 25(4): 301-309. doi: 10.1016/j.ijresmar.2008.05.001.
