According to a new survey by Poland-based market research company PMR, growth is slightly down on 2006's bumper expansion of 33 per cent saw the market break the billion zloty mark (€257m).
"The categories which experience the highest growth are those classified as influencing functioning of digestive system, (including slimming agents, preparations which protect liver and probiotics) and also vitamins and minerals," Monika Stefanczyk, pharmaceutical market analyst and author of the report, told NutraIngredients.com.
Despite rapid growth of the Polish economy and increasing consumer interest in appearance and healthy living, further growth is being stifled by unclear legislation, said the survey.
Respondents from companies active in the Polish supplements market noted that one of the biggest factors limiting further growth was badly drafted product classification rules, a by-product of the absence of legislation specifying what substances can be used in dietary supplements and their minimum and maximum content quantities.
Such lack of clarification has seen some dietary supplements fall into a grey area between dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals. Moreover, the report states that Poland's Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS) sometimes has doubts about whether to classify a given preparation as a pharmaceutical or a dietary supplement.
Stefanczyk said that the country is slowly coming in line with EU regulations, with the European act regarding health claims coming into force also in Poland in July.
"In 2006 Poland also introduced the act on Food and Nutrition Safety, which implemented some crucial changes in labelling dietary supplements. However, I am not sure if aforementioned changes in legislation will limit problems with classification of dietary supplements," she said.
For the industry inside and outside of Poland significant opportunites still exist, said the report, with the market viewed as being far from saturated.
"According to our estimations in Poland dietary supplements generate 17 per cent of pharmacy and non-pharmacy OTC sales, thus, the market still has sizeable growth potential," said Stefanczyk.
Source: "Dietary supplements market in Poland 2007. Development forecasts 2007-2009" published by PMR.
