Trust in information sources when evaluating dietary supplements: a comparison between US and Chinese consumers

As more consumers across the world continue to use dietary and nutritional supplements for illnesses, health enhancement, and other reasons in place of prescription drugs and over-the counter medications, it becomes important to understand the drivers of this phenomenon. Also, these supplements are generally more loosely regulated, leaving customers to find ways to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these products. The evidence from both the US and China shows a rapid growth in the sales and consumption of these products, raising some questions for marketers, health professionals, and regulators. This study addresses the roles of different information sources for US and Chinese consumers to understand what information sources they trust for reliable information. A questionnaire was used to collect data from supplement consumers in both countries to assess both behavior, in terms of usage, as well as attitudes toward these products. The findings reveal that while consumers in both countries rank family/friends and health professionals high (and marketer sources low), US consumers are more apt to trust online sources. While neither American nor Chinese consumers trust regulators to ensure supplement safety, Chinese consumers have lower trust than Americans. Implications for marketers, manufacturers, retailers, and policymakers are discussed.