January is often considered the month to start a fresh with new year resolutions and sees a significant uptake in health-related products, with Cannabidiol oil (a non- intoxicating product derived from cannabis) proving popular, according to new data.
This year, new Bloomreach data has discovered that cannabidiol items as a new trend that is taking the UK market by storm as more consumers become aware of its proposed benefits.
CBD doesn’t create a “high” effect or any form of intoxication — that’s caused by another cannabinoid, known as THC.
The data shows that cannabis-derived products have seen a 1300% year-on-year rise in searches online – increasing to over 31,000 in January alone.
Beyond interest, sales of CBD-related products are also going through the roof with a 1219% year-on-year increase compared to January 2019. CBD consumption takes many forms. Whether it’s edibles, oils, or vapes, there is room in the market for expansion as products become more readily available and brands across the country start selling these products on their shelves and online.
But CBD is only one item in the mindful consumer’s arsenal for a healthy diet at the start of the year. Bloomreach data also revealed a surge in sales for whole360, keto, vegetarian, gluten free and vegan products in January 2020 (+350%, +144%, +111%, +69% and +48% YoY respectively). Despite a push to alcohol alternatives to celebrate dry January, mocktails have seen a 24% year-on-year decrease, suggesting that consumers are embracing CBD products to replace alcohol for their new year’s health kick.
Commenting on the findings, Michael Schirrmacher, UK MD at Bloomreach, said: “For the UK, January is a time for tightening belts and an invigorated sense of self-improvement, with many consumers looking to cut out alcohol with ‘dry January’. This year, it’s interesting to note a shift in what consumers are searching for in the pursuit of a detox, with a significant slide towards CBD products as opposed to mocktails.
“CBD is a largely untapped market with no clear market leader in the UK. This leaves the door wide open to any brand who wants to push these products as an alternative to traditional segments. Retailers who are considering turning CBD into one of their differentiators would do well to start communicating about these products online to meet the expectations of ecommerce-savvy Britons before large players harness it to attract health-conscious customers.
Brands have access to huge amounts of data, from the products that resonate best with their customers to the way their audiences like to shop. This gives them a great avenue to explore how they can introduce CBD-related products to their audiences, and whether the trend is right for them. Now, they just need to crunch their data to see how the can use CBD to boost their sales or reach new customers, and how to do so.”
Bloomreach data was collated over the course of the period running December 2017 to January 2020.