BAA (dietary supplements)

Biologics

Main article: Biologics

Pharmaceutical market of Russia

Main article: Pharmaceutical market of Russia

Digital marking of dietary supplements

Main article: Digital labeling of dietary supplements

Chronicle

2024: Contraceptives under the guise of dietary supplements were found on sale on marketplaces in Russia

In early March 2024, it became known about the sale in Russia of a contraceptive under the guise of the drug "Chinese traditional medicine." This was reported by Kommersant.

The sale of an unregistered contraceptive drug was discovered by WHO expert Liubov Erofeyeva in the section "Products for intimate hygiene." The cost of the drug was 1,480 rubles. It contains a high amount of the synthetic female sex hormone levonorgestrel. Sellers advised to take "dietary supplements" once a month for three to five years. In the description of the product, it was stated that it has the function of suppressing ovulation and therefore can be used as a contraceptive. Gynecologists interviewed by Kommersant warned that such consumption of this hormone is "very dangerous to health."

Unsplash

After the discovery of this Roszdravnadzor drug, he demanded to remove it from marketplaces Ozon and, Wildberries however, the product is still present on small regional sites.

Experts interviewed by Kommersant believe that it is not profitable for Internet sites to sell potentially dangerous goods, but sellers manage to deceive the algorithms of marketplaces and remain available for sale.

One tablet contains 6 mg of levonorgestrel and 3 mg of quinestrol. Obstetrician-gynecologist, WHO expert Liubov Erofeyeva noted that the contraceptive Escapel and Postinor registered in Russia contain only 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel, and they are used in emergency situations, and not on an ongoing basis.

For 35 years of their use in Russia, not a single serious complication was registered. This made it possible in 2024 to make Escapel and Postinor over the counter, as in most European countries and the United States. And in this Chinese drug, the dosage is four times higher. This is very dangerous for health with uncontrolled use, - the expert explained[1]

2023: Microalgae production launched in Sevastopol for the first time in Russia

Scientists of the Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas named after A.O. Kovalevsky RAS (FIC InBUM) in Sevastopol for the first time in Russia launched an experimental production of microalgae. Algae contain a large amount of vitamins and antioxidants, and the module will increase their yield on an industrial scale. This was announced in early August 2023 by the head of the department of biotechnology and phytoresources of the Federal Research Center InBUM Andrei Borovkov. Read more here.

2022

Sales of dietary supplements in Russia for the year reached 120 billion rubles

Sales of biologically active additives (dietary supplements) in 2022 on the Russian market reached 120 billion rubles. Alexander Zhestkov, executive director of the Union of Dietary Supplement Manufacturers SRO, cited such data in October 2023.

According to him, the volume of the Russian dietary supplement market since 2018 has grown at double-digit rates - by about 20% per year. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has catalyzed this rise.

Sales of biologically active additives (dietary supplements) in 2022 on the Russian market reached 120 billion rubles

When the Ministry of Health and Rospotrebnadzor issued recommendations for the prevention of diseases using vitamin C and D, there were incredible sales figures in these categories of goods. Now we are seeing more demand for dietary supplements of the anti-stress category, complex vitamins for men, women and monovitamines, - said Zhestkov in October 2023.

According to Anna Valueva, head of Smart Consult, in 2022 the weighted average price for biologically active additives increased by 17.4% and amounted to 290 rubles. Such an increase was recorded for the first time since 2020, when explosive demand for dietary supplements was noticeable, she stressed.

At the same time, the increase in dietary supplements consumption in physical terms also took place and amounted, despite the difficult geopolitical situation and the decrease in real disposable incomes of the population, to 7.4% compared to 2021. According to analysts at Smart Consult, the growth in natural demand in 2022 was provided by premium price products. So in 2022, sales in all segments, except for Premium, decreased relative to 2021. The Russian dietary supplement market is growing primarily due to wealthy people focused on leading a healthy lifestyle, part of which are expensive vitamin complexes and various dietary supplements, experts say.

The largest manufacturers of dietary supplements on the Russian market in 2022 were named Evalar, Solar, PharmaMed and Kvadrat-S^[2]

Dietary supplements supplies from abroad to Russia decreased

The supply of dietary supplements from abroad to Russia in 2022 decreased by 20.3% compared to 2021 - to 87.9 million packages. Such data in May 2023 were cited by BusinesStat analysts.

According to their estimates, imports of dietary supplements from the following countries fell the most in 2022: Germany (by 9 million packages), Lithuania (by 8.3 million), the Netherlands (by 4 million). In 2022, the export of Russian dietary supplements to China also sank significantly - by 842 thousand packs. This is primarily due to the restructuring of supply chains and the final rise in product prices.

Dietary supplements supplies from abroad to the Russian Federation decreased

The total export of dietary supplements from the Russian Federation at the end of 2022 decreased by 33.8% in physical terms. The strongest in 2022 were deliveries to Ukraine (by 3.09 million packages), which were almost in full sent to the LPR and DPR. The fact is that after the ratification of the agreements on the admission to Russia of the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions, held on October 4, 2022, customs on the border between the Russian Federation and the new territories was abolished. Now the sale of goods, works and services in new regions is a common domestic trade in Russia. In addition, in connection with the start of a military special operation (SVO) in April 2022, a complete ban on the import of goods from Russia was introduced in Ukraine.

Russian dietary supplement exports were poorly developed even before the start of the SVO. The fact is that Russian pharmaceutical manufacturers were not actively promoting their products in foreign markets due to the limited financial resources. The situation was complicated by high competition with international giants of the pharmaceutical industry. In March 2022, new Western sanctions were added to this, the study notes. In 2022, the export of dietary supplements from Russia in monetary terms sank by 41.6% compared to 2021, to $14.2 million.^[3]

Market growth by 19.8% to 150 billion rubles

The volume of the Russian market for dietary supplements (dietary supplements) in 2022 reached 150 billion rubles, which is 19.8% more than a year earlier. In terms of the number of packages sold of such products, the market grew by 0.5%, to 364 million units. This is evidenced by the data of the DSM Group, released in early April 2023.

On average, one package of dietary supplements in 2022 cost the consumer of the pharmacy 288 rubles (retail price), which is 19.2% higher than a year earlier. In prices for the purchase of pharmacies, the weighted average cost of dietary supplements is about 226 rubles. Rising prices and consumers switching to more expensive additives significantly affected the sales structure by price segment. A tangible increase in volume was demonstrated by the "high" price segment (+ 33.1% in rubles. and + 25.8% in packages).

One package of dietary supplements in 2022 cost the consumer of the pharmacy 288 rubles

As a result, the structure of the dietary supplement market in terms of price categories changed in favor of dietary supplements with a price of over 500 rubles - the share of this group of food additives increased by 6.1% in value terms and by 3.8% in natural terms. As a result, expensive food additives brought pharmacies more than half of the revenue (60.6% share in rubles), for comparison, in 2018 this figure was only 39.6%.

As noted by Natalia Prokopyeva, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Evalar CJSC, the development of e-commerce has become the key driver of the growth of the Russian dietary supplement market. Through this channel, sales of dietary supplements increased by 82%, while in the pharmacy segment - by 13%, the DSM Group researchers calculated.

It should be noted that in 2022, as part of our CRM system, we began to record growth in the online segment of the audience over 45 years old. That is, today the mature age group has also mastered online consumption, - said Prokopyeva.[4]

Notes