Consumption Patterns and Product Format Preferences of Inner Beauty Functional Foods Among Korean Adults

Summary

This cross-sectional survey of 502 Korean adults examined consumption patterns and product preferences for inner beauty functional foods—oral bioactive formulations marketed for skin, hair, and wellness benefits. Skin health emerged as the primary motivation (47.6%), particularly among younger and female consumers, whilst online purchasing dominated at 57.8% overall, with younger consumers (20s) showing highest online adoption (67.5%). Capsule and tablet formats were most common (41.6%) and preferred by males and those with graduate education, whilst females showed stronger preference for gummy and chewable formats.

Regional applicability

This study is specific to South Korean consumer preferences and market structure for functional foods. Whilst the United Kingdom inner beauty functional food sector exists, consumption motivations, distribution channels, and product format preferences may differ considerably due to regulatory frameworks (MHRA vs. KFDA), consumer demographics, and market maturity; direct application to UK contexts would require local validation.

Key measures

Consumption reasons, duration of use, purchase channels, product format preferences; chi-square analysis of socio-demographic differences

Outcomes reported

The study examined consumption patterns, purchase channels, and product format preferences among Korean adults using inner beauty functional foods, analysing differences by socio-demographic characteristics. Key findings included skin health as the dominant motivation (47.6%), online purchasing dominance (57.8%), and format preferences varying by gender and age.

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