The World of Self-Care: Balancing Consumer Empowerment and Retail-Brand Enrichment. The Case of Dietary Supplements in France[L’univers du self-care : entre autonomisation du consommateur et enrichissement de la marque-enseigne. Le Cas des Compléments Alimentaires en France]

This research delves into a relatively understudied practice in marketing, from both the consumer's and the brand's perspective, that has garnered significant interest among consumers: the consumption of dietary supplements. This product category belongs to the realm of self-care and contributes to consumer empowerment. Distribution channels tend to diversify in a market where pharmacies maintain a dominant position. Recent developments, including successful startups and the need to democratize this practice, have led to the emergence of offerings from major retail players. Hence, dietary supplements could serve as a tool for enhancing brands through the listing of products that foster consumer empowerment. Consumer empowerment (Nistar et al., 2018) and brand management (Zentes et al., 2008) thus constitute a highly pertinent theoretical framework for exploring the launch of dietary supplements in major retail settings. Based on a qualitative study through interviews, we present the nature, the interest in use, and the integration of dietary supplements within the self-care domain. Subsequently, we employ a quantitative study via a questionnaire to identify the profile of dietary supplement consumers and the key success factors for listing such offerings by retail-brands. Thus, our research highlights theoretical and managerial contributions.