Health and wellness and the holidays may not feel like a great fit. But recent evidence from unfolding 2025 trends points in the opposite direction.
If you’re a nutraceutical manufacturer or you operate a company in the health and wellness space in the United States, it may be time to start focusing on that holiday marketing, just like any other retailer.
2025: The Year of the Healthy Holiday?
The holidays are iconically associated with health, typically in one of two ways. The most obvious is New Year’s resolutions, but these tend to only become relevant after the holidays are done. In contrast, throughout November and December, the message has historically been one of tossing aside rules and routines to enjoy traditions that include heavy foods, plenty of alcohol, and lots of salt, sugar, and fat.
Recent research shows the trend may be shifting, thanks to younger generations. A “Holiday Outlook 2025” study published by PwC in September reported that the 2025 holiday shopping season no longer plays out like a well-rehearsed melody. Instead, it feels like jazz, including shifting consumer behavior around younger generations and health.
The biggest revelation of the study (as far as health and wellness are concerned) is that more than a third (34%) of Gen Zers are prioritizing health and wellness, as well as sustainability, as “top factors” when making holiday purchases. Furthermore, these groups are the most likely to read a label when buying something.
Younger generations are shifting priorities and disrupting holiday traditions. In the process, they are bringing a health-conscious tone to the holidays in a way never seen before.
Food Is Also a Focal Point
The report also found that more consumers are focused on food in their holiday planning, but not Grandma’s cookie recipe or the stuffing swimming in gravy. They are leaning toward cleaner options, with PwC adding that, once again, younger folks are leading the charge.
“In terms of generational differences,” the professional services network said, “Gen Z and millennials are gravitating toward wellness-forward options (such as low-sugar treats, functional beverages and artisanal pantry goods), while baby boomers tend to prefer traditional indulgences.”
Finding the Marketing Magic for Holiday Health and Wellness Marketing
It can feel intimidating trying to promote health-conscious products during the holiday season. However, trends in consumer behavior are making this easier. The key is to focus on the right demographics.
Younger groups, like Gen Z and Millennials, are blazing a new trail when it comes to holiday traditions. They are resisting the unhealthy playbook of the past and forging a new, health-conscious holiday spirit in the process.If you haven’t factored this into your marketing yet, let’s connect for a free consultation. TruLife Distribution’s team of experienced marketing and distribution experts can help you design a marketing strategy that steers into trends like these as you bring your life-changing products to market and seek to get them in front of the right people.