Irish consumers very focused on health and wellbeing as spend on vitamins, minerals, supplements and medication set to increase

• Technology is transforming health and wellbeing 

• Eight out of ten (81%) Irish consumers use apps or wearables for at least one health and wellness activity

• 41% of Irish consumers are planning to increase their spend on health and wellness activities in the year ahead

• Value for money is the key priority when considering purchasing a health or wellness product or service  

• 6% of Irish consumers are currently taking GLP-1 prescription medication

Technology is transforming health and wellness, as consumers regularly track their own data and the health sector becomes more personalised and embedded in everyday life, shaping meals, commutes, shopping, pharmacy visits, wearables, and AI-driven advice. This is according to PwC Ireland's 2026 Voice of the Consumer survey, focusing on health and wellbeing, published today.  

The research analyses the views of over 1,000 Irish consumers and shows that Irish consumers are taking an active role in meeting their health goals – chief of which is leading a longer life (53%), followed by reducing stress (44%) and losing weight (40%). Challenges facing consumers in achieving these goals include stress, fatigue and low energy (65%), difficulty staying motivated (60%) and the lack of time to commit (52%). 

Spend on health and wellness activities set to rise

The survey reveals that Irish consumers are planning to increase their spend in the next 12 months in the following key areas: health and wellness activities (41%); vitamins, minerals & supplements (33%) and medication (20%).  At the same time, half (50%) said that health supplements in Ireland are either 'very expensive' or 'somewhat expensive'.

Over a quarter (27%) of Irish respondents rate their current level of health as 'excellent' across a range of areas including cardiovascular, immune system and physical fitness; a further 35% said it was 'good, having minor concerns'.  At the same time, over a third (38%) reported that their mental health wellbeing is poor or average, having some concerns.  Nearly six in ten (59%) engage in physical fitness/exercise at least a few times a week while over a third (37%) practice nutrition or dietary planning at least a few times a week. Two-thirds (68%) plan and prepare their meals at home 'often' or 'always'; over half (56%) take vitamins, minerals or supplements 'often' or 'always'. 

In terms of impact on their health and wellbeing, Irish consumers are extremely or very concerned about the use of pesticides in their food (47%), environmental pollution (46%), ultra-processed foods (48%) and microplastics (41%). At the same time, they plan to increase their consumption in the next 12 months of fresh produce (56%), vitamins, minerals or supplements (38%) and meat alternatives/plant-based protein (20%).  Nearly half (48%) will reduce processed or high sugar foods.   

Irish consumers are leveraging technology to support their health and wellbeing

AI tools, wearables and health apps are providing consumers with advice and alerts – eight out of ten (81%) of Irish consumers surveyed use apps or wearables for at least one health and wellness activity a few times a year including exercise monitoring, sleep tracking and medication management. 

When asked about their top influencers on health and wellbeing actions, 59% listed health professionals and 52% cited friends, family and co-workers. 9% said their top influencer was AI. When searching information about health or wellness, over six in ten (64%) said that they typically use an AI tool before consulting a healthcare professional or family/websites.   

Over half (58%) of Irish respondents said that they are willing to pay more for a wearable device whose data is trusted by healthcare professionals and can be reviewed by them to support their health and wellness care. Irish consumers report the greatest comfort in sharing their health data (for example biometric / detailed health information) with pharmacies and insurance providers when it enables more personalised products and services as opposed to sharing with companies produce foods and drinks, banks, supermarkets, technology companies, social media sites etc.  

Support for AI in health strongest among younger generations 

While human expertise and experience carried more influence over health actions than AI, most consumers were comfortable with AI playing a role in their health and wellness. When Irish consumers were asked about a range of health and wellness tasks, 68% were comfortable with AI carrying out at least one of them including helping on nutritional needs, creating personalised fitness plans and predicting potential issues. Support was higher from younger generations, with 77% of 18-44 year-olds comfortable allowing AI to perform health and wellness tasks compared to 53% for 45-65+ year-olds.  

Ruth McNamee, Partner, PwC Ireland Retail & Consumer Practice, said: "The survey shows that health and wellness in Ireland is increasingly shaping both discretionary spending and routine grocery choices. People are managing their health and wellness more often, in more places, with more tools and higher expectations and they are using AI. What we’re seeing, as a result, is that healthcare is becoming more continuous and consumer-led. As Irish consumers weave monitoring their health alongside wellness decisions into their daily routines, they’re looking for support from right across the health and wellness sector.  Many are open to AI playing a role to help them to achieve their goals.” 

Few Irish consumers currently taking GLP-1 medication but it is on the rise   

The survey reveals that just 6% of Irish consumers are currently taking GLP-1 prescription medication for type 2 diabetes and/or weight loss (e.g. Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Zepbound). A further 21% said that they would be open to using this type of medication in the future. According to the survey, people using GLP-1 medication increased the amount of exercise they take, paid greater attention to nutrition/food labels and increased their overall spending on health and wellness related products. GLP-1 users are more likely than non-users to monitor fibre, protein, and calorie intake, and to engage with sleep tracking, counselling services, community wellness activities, and nutrition or dietary planning. GLP-1 users are also seeking out alternative food products to support their adapted dietary needs such as increased protein intake. These new dietary and lifestyle requirements need to be fully understood by the consumer goods sector in order to remain relevant to the needs of the changing shopper.

Tech is shifting consumer demand and healthcare systems 

As AI, data and digital tools become a bigger part of health and wellness, there is growing demand for services that support and enhance these products - for example, subscriptions and programs attached to tracking devices and exercise equipment. Irish consumers have a strong interest in health insights and diagnostics (64%), coaching and behaviour change (58%), and devices, equipment and smart environments (52%).  

At the same time, Irish consumers still care deeply about the basics when considering whether to purchase a health or wellness product or service: value for money is the leading attribute in Ireland (81%), followed by cost (79%), convenience or ease of use (68%), and clear information (66%). In this environment, using diagnostics and data to give consumers clearer, more practical information, without adding cost or complexity, is a no-regrets move. 

Ruth McNamee concluded: "For consumer and retail businesses, wellness can no longer be treated as a standalone category. It’s becoming embedded across shopping missions, product choices, service expectations, and digital engagement. The opportunity for the consumer goods sector lies in connecting credible health-led propositions with convenient, personalised, and technology-enabled experiences that help consumers make better-informed decisions. Shoppers expect new products and services to support their changing health and wellness needs, Innovative food and lifestyle products, digital first solutions and personalisation will define the future of the consumer goods sector."

About the survey 

PwC surveyed 1,003 Irish consumers as part of its latest Voice of the Consumer research analysing key trends in health and wellness behaviours, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medications, wearables/apps and AI-enabled technology, health/wellness purchases and consumption and health/wellness goals and challenges. Key demographic factors, including gender, age, employment status and location were represented.