Bilberry and Saffron Surge as Lutein Declines in Eye Care
By Jessie Wang
4 min read
Executive Summary#
China's eye care ingredient market is undergoing a decisive structural rotation. Lutein sales declined -21.6% to CN¥ 1.6 billion and blueberry fell -28.7% to CN¥ 900 million as commodity-grade formulations face consumer fatigue. In their place, premium anthocyanin ingredients are surging: bilberry grew +19.6% to CN¥ 300 million, anthocyanins rose +31.9%, and saffron extract exploded +156.3%. Imported brands Doppelherz, Youthit, and Swisse command 49% of the bilberry market through "Nordic wild bilberry" origin narratives and compound formulation strategies. Meanwhile, Vitamin B complex eye care products emerged as a dark-horse category at +292.7% YoY, with Doppelherz holding a near-monopoly 78.7% share. The era of single-ingredient commodity products is ending; growth belongs to differentiated, science-backed compound formulations.
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Lutein's Dominance Masks a Structural Decline#
Lutein commands 47.5% of consumer awareness among professional eye care ingredients -- nearly double the second-ranked blueberry at 26.1%. Together, these two ingredients account for 73.6% of awareness, establishing a clear two-tier hierarchy. Yet awareness leadership does not translate into growth.
Lutein commands 47.5% consumer awareness, with blueberry at 26.1% as the second-most recognized ingredient
The Price-Growth Correlation: Premium Ingredients Win#
The ingredient market's bifurcation follows a clear pricing fault line. Every ingredient priced above CN¥ 150 per unit posted positive growth; every ingredient priced below CN¥ 100 declined.
Lutein sales decline -21.6% while saffron extract surges +156.3%, marking a decisive ingredient market rotation
Bilberry's Rise: Imported Brands Build Premium Moats#
Bilberry has established itself as the premium representative of the anthocyanin class, with fruit containing anthocyanin concentrations up to 15 times that of ordinary blueberries. Clinical studies confirm that bilberry anthocyanins penetrate the blood-retinal barrier, relieving eye fatigue and improving dark adaptation through rhodopsin regeneration and improved microcirculation.
Doppelherz, Youthit, and Swisse command 49% combined share of bilberry market, dominating the premium tier
Vitamin B Complex: The Dark-Horse Category at +292.7%#
Vitamin B complex eye care products delivered the most explosive growth story in the market, surging +292.7% YoY to CN¥ 24.49 million. Clinical studies show that Vitamin B complex combined with lutein improves eye fatigue relief by 58%, making it particularly suitable for the high-intensity screen demands that characterize modern digital lifestyles.
Doppelherz holds 78.7% of Vitamin B eye care market, reflecting near-monopoly in nascent category
Key Takeaways#
- Lutein declined -21.6% to CN¥ 1.6 billion and blueberry fell -28.7%, signaling consumer fatigue with commodity-grade eye care supplements.
- Bilberry surged +19.6% to CN¥ 300 million; imported brands Doppelherz, Youthit, and Swisse hold 49% combined share through premium origin narratives.
- Every ingredient priced above CN¥ 150 posted positive growth; every ingredient below CN¥ 100 declined -- confirming a structural premiumization shift.
- Saffron extract (+156.3%) and grape seed (+48.8%) represent emerging niche opportunities with strong growth but low absolute sales.
- Vitamin B complex (+292.7%) is the highest-growth category but remains below 1.3% of market share, with Doppelherz holding a near-monopoly 78.7%.
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About the Data#
This analysis draws on Moojing Market Intelligence's proprietary e-commerce transaction data covering major Chinese online platforms, combined with social media listening and consumer review analysis. The primary comparison period is MAT2025 (June 2024-May 2025) vs. MAT2024 (June 2023-May 2024). Professional eye care ingredients are defined by direct ocular mechanisms of action and high consumer awareness specifically focused on eye care. Moojing analyses brand and category performance across major Chinese e-commerce platforms.
This content adheres to Moojing's editorial standards .
Frequently Asked Questions
A rotation out of commodity ingredients into premium ones. Lutein contracted -21.6% to CN¥ 1.6 billion and blueberry -28.7% to CN¥ 900 million, while bilberry grew +19.6% to CN¥ 300 million, anthocyanins as a class rose +31.9% and saffron extract grew +156.3%. Awareness has not moved with sales: lutein still commands 47.5% of consumer awareness among professional eye care ingredients and blueberry 26.1%, together 73.6%. Being the best-known ingredient is no longer the same as being the one people buy, and that gap is unusual enough to be worth building a product against.
The fault line is remarkably clean. Every ingredient priced above CN¥ 150 per unit posted positive growth; every ingredient priced below CN¥ 100 contracted. That is not consumers spending more for its own sake — it is consumers exiting the tier where products are interchangeable. A commodity-grade single-ingredient supplement has no defensible claim once several sellers offer the same active at the same dose, and the category has reached that point for its two most familiar ingredients. Growth has moved to formulations that can explain why they are different, which in practice means a compound formulation or a differentiated source.
It has both a mechanism and an origin story, which is a rare pairing. Bilberry fruit carries anthocyanin concentrations up to 15 times those of ordinary blueberries, and clinical work indicates its anthocyanins cross the blood-retinal barrier, easing eye fatigue and improving dark adaptation through rhodopsin regeneration and better microcirculation. Imported brands hold 49% of bilberry sales between them, built on "Nordic wild bilberry" provenance narratives combined with compound formulation. The lesson for a domestic challenger is that the moat here is narrative and formulation rather than the raw ingredient — and both of those can be built.
Vitamin B complex eye care grew +292.7% year on year to CN¥ 24.49 million — the highest growth rate in the market, and still under 1.3% of it. One imported brand holds 78.7% of that sub-segment, so it is concentrated rather than contested. The clinical basis is real: Vitamin B complex combined with lutein improves eye fatigue relief by 58%, which maps directly onto high-intensity screen use. Saffron extract (+156.3%) and grape seed (+48.8%) share the same profile — strong growth on low absolute sales. These are positioning opportunities rather than volume opportunities, and they should be taken on that basis rather than on the growth rate alone.
