2025 Whitepaper: China's Infant & Child Health & Wellness Market Analysis

Key Finding 1

China's online dietary supplement market reached CN¥ 129.7 billion in 2024, with infant nutrition emerging as the third-largest subcategory at CN¥ 14.9 billion and the lutein segment surging over +311% YoY.

The dietary supplement market demonstrated broad-based growth across China's leading marketplaces and content-led commerce channels, with total platform sales rising from CN¥ 115.8 billion in 2023 to CN¥ 129.7 billion in 2024. Within this expansion, infant nutrition products ranked among the top three subcategories by revenue, reflecting parents' increasing willingness to invest in children's nutritional health. Lutein, a niche subcategory within infant nutrition, recorded the most dramatic growth of any segment, driven by rising concerns over children's screen exposure and myopia prevention.

Key Finding 2

Gummy formulations dominate the infant lutein market at 82.8% sales share, as product innovation shifts toward higher palatability, convenience, and child-friendly packaging.

Product form factor has become a critical differentiator in the children's dietary supplement space. Gummies lead overwhelmingly because their pleasant taste and playful format encourage consistent consumption among young children. Traditional softgel capsules, which require swallowing, account for only 5.0% of sales. Liquid formulations hold a niche 4.4% share but show growth potential due to ease of administration. Brands that combine appealing taste profiles with compound ingredient formulas, including blueberry extract and DHA alongside lutein, capture the largest share of consumer attention and positive reviews.

Key Finding 3

Social media mentions of "children's/adolescents' vision" reached approximately 1.43 million posts with over 50 million engagements in 2024, signaling rising parental concern over youth myopia that now affects 51.9% of Chinese children and adolescents.

Douyin dominated social media engagement on children's vision topics, capturing more than three-quarters of total interactions. Parenting bloggers sharing educational content about vision-protective foods and medical professionals explaining orthokeratology treatments drove the highest engagement peaks. Myopia prevention (35.6%) and visual fatigue relief (30.7%) emerged as the top two consumer needs, directly fueling demand for eye care dietary supplements. Brands like Renhe (仁和), Nature's Way Kids, Swisse Kids, and Inne leveraged vertical-category KOL partnerships and diverse content marketing strategies to capture consumer attention in this rapidly growing segment.