UK health users quit products when benefits are unclear

Research from Pomegranate found that 51.1% of digitally active UK consumer-health users have stopped using a health product because they did not see tangible results. The findings suggest product outcomes matter more for retention than discounts.

Nearly half of respondents, 49.5%, said evidence of tangible health benefits was among the most important factors when choosing a product. A larger share, 58%, said the consistent delivery of health benefits was a key reason for continuing to use one.

The data points to a gap between what attracts consumers to health products and what keeps them using them. Brands often focus on acquisition and loyalty schemes, but the survey indicates that visible or felt benefits carry more weight once a customer has started using a product.

Only 18.1% of users selected loyalty rewards or discounts as one of their top three retention factors, placing promotional incentives well behind the experience of receiving ongoing health benefits.

Retention signals

The research also found that peer recommendation came close to scientific evidence from clinical trials as a leading factor in product choice. That suggests decision-making in this part of the market depends on both formal evidence and trust built through personal networks.

The findings were drawn from a survey of digitally active UK consumer-health users aged 18 to 44 who were recruited through a paid panel. The work forms part of a broader analysis of trust in consumer-health experiences, including privacy, personalisation, evidence, retention, artificial intelligence and digital design.

For companies selling supplements, wellness tools and other consumer-health products through digital channels, the figures underline the importance of the early user experience. If customers do not identify a benefit soon after starting, they may stop before any longer-term habit is formed.

Duncan Thomas, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Pomegranate, said: "Consumers don't usually abandon health products overnight. More often, they disengage in a matter of days because they're unsure whether what they're doing is making a difference."

His comments suggest a pattern of early drop-off rather than a gradual decline in engagement. In this view, the challenge is not simply persuading consumers to buy, but helping them understand what changes, if any, the product is producing.

Thomas added: "Brands should be setting realistic expectations from the outset, making progress easier to see, and helping people recognise the benefits they're experiencing from the health product. Product imagery can help communicate these benefits to the consumer in the onboarding process, but continuous engagement throughout is essential. Brands can also go beyond this, utilising newer forms of customer nurturing including wearable, biometric tech to connect body effect with the product they're selling."

The survey results suggest that clear communication about likely outcomes may influence whether a user stays engaged. In categories where results can be gradual, unclear or difficult to measure, a lack of feedback may weaken confidence even if the product has scientific backing.

Choice and trust

The closeness between peer recommendation and clinical evidence as a choice factor adds another layer to the market picture. Consumers appear to place significant value on both formal proof and social validation, rather than relying on one source of trust alone.

That matters for brands operating in a market where claims are often scrutinised and competition is intense. A product may be backed by trials, but users may still look for signs from people they know or from their own experience before deciding it is worth continuing with.

The findings also show how retention can differ from acquisition. A discount may encourage a first purchase, but the survey suggests it has much less influence on continued use than visible benefits.

Thomas said: "Our research indicates that brands should pay attention to early behavioural signals and help the consumer with good habit-building and onboarding so that they use the product long enough to see results."