Celebrities boost vitamin sales

Celebrity-endorsed holistic lifestyles and internet wellbeing sites are boosting the British market for vitamins, minerals and supplements, according to a report by Datamonitor. Since 1996 the market, now worth £175m a year, has grown by three per cent as consumers are becoming more aware of physical and mental health contributing to external beauty. With manufacturers unable to claim the benefits of their products, the industry is benefiting from anecdotal endorsement through the media, especially with celebrities such as Sting, Madonna and Geri Halliwell advocating holistic lifestyles. The increase in internet wellbeing sites such as beme.com and handbag.com is also bringing total wellbeing into the spotlight. Datamonitor analyst, Rhod Jones, commented: 'The total wellbeing movement is becoming increasingly lucrative as it moves from being a niche sector to the mainstream.'