Delhi’s worsening air pollution sees firms jump on chance to promote immune-boosting, detox supplements

FMCG giant Dabur India has recently started both print and online campaigns for its ayurvedic herbal supplement Chyawanprash – in which the firm is a market leader in this particular category.

The product is a liquid supplement that claims to boost immunity and has strong antioxidant properties. It is formulated with Ayurvedic ingredients such as Bilya, Gokshura, and Brahmi. 

“Our campaign has been prepared based on these (scientific) studies and we plan to build awareness about benefits of Dabur Chyawanprash through print and digital campaigns in Delhi-NCR,"​ Prashant Agarwal, marketing head, health supplements at the firm told Livemint.​

Since early November, India has been struggling with air pollution as farmers burn crop stubble to clear their fields.

As one of the most hard-hit areas, the degree of air pollution in Delhi was said to have “reached unbearable levels”,​ said  Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who also declared a public health emergency.

Amid the ongoing pollution, A.V. Organics, the producer of black coloured mineral water Evocus​, is also taking to Instagram to promote its product.   

Marketing manager Zulkarnain Shaikh told NutraIngredients-Asia ​that the firm was working with Instagram influencers to market its detox and hydrating drink, with consumers between 18 and 45 years old as the main targets.  

“People firstly think of face mask when there is an air pollution. But we want to let them know that detoxifying their bodies is just as important.​

“The severity of air pollution differs from cities to cities and so we are working with influencers from affected regions to spread the message,” ​he said. 

Respiratory health ​

Acute respiratory infections triggered by air pollution, poor hygiene, and bacterial infection, is the top communicable disease in India last year.

It accounted for 70% of all communicable diseases, according to the National Health Profile 2019.

This is followed by diarrhoeal disease at 21.8% and typhoid at 3.8%.

A recent report published by Euromonitor showed that ayurvedic-based health supplements is gaining traction in India on the back of rising consumer interest.

While local firms such as Dabur and Himalaya are market leaders, MLM international firms such as Amway and Herbalife are tapping on the trend through their own botanical-based offerings.

For example, Amway India has expanded its Nutrilite portfolio with the launch of Nutrilite Traditional Herbs range last March.