1. What is sports nutrition food in China?

(1) According to GB 24154-2015 National Food Safety Standard General Standard for Sports Nutrition Food, the definition of sports nutrition food in China is:
       Food specially processed to meet the physiological metabolic state, athletic ability and special requirements for certain nutrients of sports population (refers to people who participate in physical exercise 3 times or more per week, each time lasts for 30 min or more, and each time exercise intensity reaches medium or above)

(2) Sports nutrition food belongs to the FSDU (Food for Special Dietary Uses)
       The FSDU is divided into the following 4 categories:
       a. Infant formula food
       b. Infant auxiliary food
       c. Food for special medical purpose (FSMP)
       d. Others (Including auxiliary food supplements, sports nutrition food and other special dietary foods with corresponding national standards)

2. Market development trend of sports nutrition industry in China

(1) Fast growth of the sports nutrition food market in China with promising future
      Since 2015, the sports nutrition food market in China has been rapidly growing with a market size of $ 206.1 million in 2017. The market size of sports nutrition food in China experienced a CAGR of 37.3% between 2013-2017. The year on year growth in 2017 reached 47% and is far higher than that in global and American markets. The market of sports nutrition food in China is still in an early development stage and a large potential awaits to be fulfilled.

(2) China issued a series of favorable policies to support the sports nutrition industry which brought great opportunities for development:
      a. Several Opinions on Accelerating Development of the Sports Industry to Promote Sports Consumption (No.46)
      b. The ‘13th Five-Year Plan’ for Sports Development 
      c. National Fitness Program (2016-2022)
      d. Health China 2030
      e. Ice and Snow Sports Development Plan (2016-2025)
      f. National Nutrition Program (2017-2030)

(3) The growing enthusiasm for national fitness is booming the development of sports nutrition industry. The proportion of the sports population in China is not high but there is an obvious sign of rise and giant development space compared with the developed countries, which indicates huge consumption potential. Meanwhile, with the increases of GDP per capita, the pursuit by the public of food nutrition and health shows great-leap-forward development. More and more attention has been paid to all kinds of sports food under segmented scenes, and the consumers yearn for the safe, nutritious, healthy and qualified foods and are more likely to choose the brand enterprises.


3. Regulations and standards review and production permission of sports nutrition food in China

(1) During 2004-2015, Chinese government promoted the establishment of regulations and standards of sports nutrition food, which granted sports nutrition food the legal position in Chinese market.

2004—Proposed to establish Chinese General Standard for Sports Nutrition Food

2006—Promulgated and implemented 5 Sports Nutrition Food Industry Standards

2009—Promulgated and implemented National Standard for Sports Nutrition Food

2015—Promulgated National Food Safety Standard General Standard for Sports Nutrition Food

(2) According to the product property and sports characteristics, sports nutrition food is divided into 6 categories:
       a. Protein supplement
       b. Speed powder class
       c. Endurance class
       d. Energy control class
       e. Energy supplementary class
        f. Post-exercise recovery class

(3) SC (production license) of sports nutrition food in China
        For now, only 3 provinces/ municipalities, namely Beijing (12 July, 2017), Guangdong (19 June, 2018), Heilongjiang (29 September, 2018) in China have issued the Sports Nutrition Food Review Program (Trial) where enterprises could be granted SC for sports nutrition food.

(4) Labeling regulations for sports nutrition food
       GB 7718-2011 National Food Safety Standard General Principles for Labels of Prepackaged Food stipulates the basic labeling requirements for labels of prepackaged food (including FSDU). GB 13432-2013 National Food Safety Standard Label of Prepackaged FSDU) stipulates the special labeling requirements of FSDU. The labels of FSDU shall be in accordance with GB7718 and GB13432. For prepackaged FSDU that meets the content claim requirements of GB13432, if functional claims are made on energy and/or nutrition ingredients, the terms of functional claims shall be the standard terms of functional claims specified in GB 28050-2011 National Food Safety Standard General Principles for Nutrition Labels of Prepackaged Food.


Please note:The original article of Global Foodmate Information Service and Business Department, please indicate the source from the Global Foodmate if reprint.