China's Online Anemia Supplement Sales Rose 81.4% in 2025

Executive Summary#

Anemia Improvement was the fastest-growing functional supplement category in China's online health and wellness market in 2025. Its online sales across three of China's largest marketplaces rose 81.4% year-on-year (YoY) to CN¥ 3.18 billion, and 27.04 million units were sold, 114.4% more than in 2024. The growth comes from snackable formats such as iron-fortified gummies and flavoured oral solutions, which present blood health to young working women as an approachable daily wellness habit, where it was previously treated as a clinical matter.

Market Growth: A Category Transformed#

Unit volume grew faster than sales, which we believe shows that brands are competing on accessibility and trial, bringing first-time buyers into the category through products at a lower Average Selling Price (ASP).

Policy is supporting this commercial growth. China's National Nutrition Plan, issued by the State Council, sets targets for reducing anemia among children under five and pregnant women by 2030, which we believe keeps awareness of the condition high and gives supplement-based approaches legitimacy. As government health campaigns make preventive supplementation more normal, consumers are more ready to see iron and blood-nourishing products as part of a daily routine than as a remedy.

Sales follow a clear seasonal pattern, building steadily from January to a peak in October, when monthly sales reached CN¥ 342.6 million. We believe the rise through the second half of the year reflects back-to-school health preparation and stocking up for winter, while sales in November and December ease as promotional spending moves to the general e-commerce festivals.

Anemia Improvement sales build throughout 2025, peaking at CN¥ 343M in October

*Source: Moojing Market Intelligence*

Brands: Growth Across the Category#

Growth was broad among the category's larger brands, which we believe shows that the category as a whole is in a phase of rapid adoption, with new buyers arriving faster than brands are taking share from one another.

Fiboo's best-known product is a sugar-free iron-fortified gummy that combines functional benefits with the appeal of confectionery. Minayo sells an Advanced Iron Element Gummy, and Five Female PhDs (五个女博士) also offers an iron-fortified gummy. Gummy formats are central to the category's growth, and we believe this shows that innovation in the form of the product matters as much as ingredient science. Smeal's Enhanced Women's Biotin Keratin Black Pill takes a cross-functional position, combining anemia support with beauty-from-within claims at a premium ASP of CN¥ 255.5.

Brands in the category fall into distinct price positions:

• Accessible gummy brands (ASP CN¥ 119-155), such as Fiboo, Minayo, Five Female PhDs and Swisse, aimed at the mass market
• Premium oral solution and powder brands (ASP CN¥ 234-285), such as Yizhibao, Hong Tao K, Smeal and Huebner, with positioning led by efficacy
• Mid-priced oral solutions (ASP CN¥ 166-200), such as Salus and Floradix, European heritage brands that draw on clinical credibility

Ingredient Trends: Folic Acid Leads, Novel Iron Grows Fastest#

Ingredient sales show a market moving between established nutritional staples and newer iron compounds that the body absorbs more easily. Folic acid is the largest ingredient segment at CN¥ 153.3 million, up 92.9% YoY, followed by vitamin C at CN¥ 137.1 million, up 52.8% YoY. The two often appear together in formulations, because vitamin C improves the absorption of non-heme iron, and we believe this well-documented pairing appeals to informed consumers.

The fastest growth comes from iron sources other than the traditional ferrous sulfate. Ferrous fumarate grew 250.5% YoY and ferric pyrophosphate grew 118.3%, which suggests that manufacturers are widening the range of iron compounds they use. Nano iron is still a niche ingredient at CN¥ 0.7 million, but it grew 357.9% YoY, which points towards newer delivery technologies.

Across the marketplaces covered, sales of vitamin B12 fell 49.6% YoY and ferrous glycinate fell 72.5%, which suggests that formulators are changing which iron and vitamin compounds they rely on.

Consumer Purchase Drivers: Usage Scenario Comes First#

Usage scenario accounts for 29.9% of purchase decisions, nearly double the weight of any other factor. Consumers choose anemia products mainly for how well they fit specific situations in their lives, and ingredients and clinical claims weigh less in the decision.

Usage scenario drives 29.9% of anemia product purchase decisions

*Source: Moojing Market Intelligence*

Key Takeaways#

• Usage scenario accounts for 29.9% of purchase decisions, and young working women see iron supplements as a way to manage their energy through demanding days
• Snackable formats, sugar-free claims and beauty-from-within positioning are moving anemia supplements away from clinical remedies and towards a daily wellness habit

## About the Data

This analysis draws on Moojing Market Intelligence data covering January-December 2025. Moojing analyses brand and category performance across major Chinese e-commerce platforms. Sales figures reflect online channel sell-through and do not include offline retail. YoY comparisons are calculated against the corresponding 2024 period.