China’s Meal Replacement Market: Market Overview and Regulatory Compliance

Consumer purchasing preference of food products in China has been profoundly shaped by China’s shifting demographics^[1], consumption upgrade^[2], and demand for healthy foods^[3]. As revealed by McKinsey, more and more consumers, especially the burgeoning upper-middle-class, can afford and are willing to pay a premium for high quality, safe, and healthy foods, which is stimulating growth in the high-end food and health food sectors.

Today, another new food category is emerging, which aligns with China's pursuit of health, beauty, and body management^[4] called "meal replacement food." Riding on the wave of China’s increased interest in all things related to health and fitness, this new food category is making major gains in China.

*Note: Since there’s no standard for meal replacement food until November 27, 2019, the meal replacement we talked in the market part refers to the products that claim themselves as meal replacement food in the advertising.