Poles keen for more dietary supplements

The dietary supplements market in Poland is set to grow 20% by 2009, more than doubling in size from 2005.

Speaking at the Nutracon Europe conference in London, Monika Stefanczyk, pharmaceutical market analyst for PMR Publications, said total sales would rise from €209M in 2005 to €499M at current exchange rates.

The dynamic growth would be powered partly by a substantial increase in gross domestic income, she said. Increasing awareness of diet and health issues and the fact that the market was easier to launch into than the over-the-counter medicines sector would further drive expansion, she added, claiming: "There's rising interest in self-medication."

A telephone survey of 170 companies operating in the sector in Poland conducted by PMR Publishing's research division revealed that they planned to increase their dietary supplements portfolios by 30% by 2008.

According to the poll, the biggest barriers to entry included vague and inconsistent legislation and competition from rivals. Companies wishing to launch a dietary supplement into the market also have to negotiate a long and complex application process to Poland's chief sanitary inspectorate (GIS).