The State of Biotics 2025: Who Buys, Why It Matters, and What’s Next

Probiotics may dominate today’s wellness routines, but the real story is how quickly consumer interest is spreading across the broader “biotics” family. More than half of consumers (52%) use probiotics weekly, while 41% use prebiotics and 27% use postbiotics. Yet knowledge lags far behind: only 28.4% can correctly define prebiotics and 26.5% postbiotics, compared to nearly two-thirds for probiotics.

This gap between curiosity and understanding reveals the next frontier for growth. From functional drinks commanding a 17% price premium for stress control to pet owners paying up to 24% more for biotics-enriched foods, the data shows strong appetite but also clear opportunities for education, clearer labeling, and smarter positioning.

Backed by Peekage’s in-depth research, this report reveals how consumers think, choose, and spend on biotics, and what these insights mean for the future of the category.

Biotics at a Glance

This chart shows that probiotics are the most frequently consumed, with an average of 2.3 uses per week, followed by prebiotics at 2 uses per week and postbiotics at just 1.4. The pattern mirrors the knowledge findings: products with probiotics lead in familiarity and regular usage, while postbiotics lag behind both in awareness and adoption. This suggests that consumer habits align closely with their level of understanding, emphasizing the need to build both awareness and trust in newer categories like postbiotics.

Probiotics have the highest regular usage, with 52% of consumers using them at least weekly. Prebiotics are used weekly or more often by 41% of consumers, while postbiotics remain much less common at 27%. The pattern reflects the broader knowledge and familiarity trends: probiotics are firmly established in consumer routines, prebiotics have moderate but growing adoption, and postbiotics are still niche, pointing to significant opportunity for education and market development.

Engagement clusters across benefits. There is a strong correlation among usage of postbiotics, prebiotics, and probiotics. People who are interested in trying new products with pre/post/probiotics benefits also tend to use them more often, meaning those eager to try typically become regular buyers. Products with High Fiber & Probiotics benefits are more popular compared to prebiotics and postbiotics, aligning with the current lack of familiarity with prebiotics and postbiotics and pointing to near-term gains from education and clear benefit framing.

Knowledge and Understanding

While most participants correctly identified probiotics (63.8%), far fewer could accurately define prebiotics (28.4%) or postbiotics (26.5%). Prebiotics in particular caused the most confusion, with nearly half (45.6%) mistaking them for one of the other terms. This suggests that although probiotics are well understood by the public, both prebiotics and postbiotics remain poorly differentiated, highlighting a significant need for clearer education and communication around these concepts.

The knowledge gap is clear. Younger consumers have better knowledge of prebiotics and postbiotics, while probiotics are well known across all ages. That knowledge matters for behavior: better knowledge reduces avoidance and increases intent to purchase products with pre/post/probiotics.

Framing also moves value perceptions. When people think of pre/post/probiotics as “food for good bacteria”, they are willing to pay more for functional beverages with pre/post/probiotics. And lifestyle cues aren’t a shortcut; a regular exercise routine does not necessarily mean better knowledge of pre/post/probiotics; education is still needed.

Usage and Trial by Benefits

High-fiber aligns naturally with current habits. Frequent users of pre/post/probiotics (at least monthly) are a key target audience for high-fiber products, as they show a strong purchase intent for these items and are also interested in trying new products that combine both pre/post/probiotics and high-fiber ingredients. In parallel, people who intend to buy high-fiber products look for weight management and digestive health benefits from pre/post/probiotics, tying fiber and microbiome benefits into the same basket.

Benefits segment usage patterns. People who use products for skin health, stress control, and mental clarity are more frequent postbiotic users, while people who use products for skin health and mental clarity are more frequent prebiotic users. For people who exercise regularly, stress control and mood improvement are the most important benefits. And people who use pre/post/probiotics products for skin health, weight management, and mental clarity are more interested in trying new pre/post/probiotics in this category, signaling that need states, not just formats, prime the next trial.

Benefit preferences cluster by diet identity. People who use pre/post/probiotics for skin health are mostly vegetarians, vegans, and Mediterranean diet followers, while those seeking immune support are mostly vegans and Mediterranean diet followers. For weight management, users are mostly on a Ketogenic diet.

Stress- and cognition-oriented needs map differently: people who use pre/post/probiotics for stress control are mostly Mediterranean or Pescatarian, and those focused on mental clarity are mostly Mediterranean and Paleo.

Willingness to Pay by Product and Benefit

Functional sodas/drinks (11.35%) and skincare/personal care items (11.11%) have the highest added value perception, while snacks/cereals/bars (10.46%) are slightly lower. Overall, consumers are willing to pay about 10–11% more across all categories.

Premiums cluster around mood and immunity in drinks. Among buyers of functional beverages with pre/post/probiotics:

• 17% willingness to pay for stress control

• 16% for mental clarity

• 15% for immune support

• 13% for digestive health

People with no dietary preferences are willing to pay about 8% more for functional beverages with pre/post/probiotics, while people who specifically seek gut-friendly options are willing to pay about 16% more.

Formats set different thresholds for lift. Among buyers of snacks, bars, and cereal with pre/post/probiotics: willingness to pay is only 12% for digestive health, and about 16% when stress control, mental clarity, weight management, or immune support benefits are also present. → Digestive health doesn’t single-handedly elicit much willingness to pay; other benefits are necessary too.

The pattern holds in chilled aisles. Among buyers of yogurt and fermented dairy with pre/post/probiotics: willingness to pay is about 16% for stress control and mental clarity, and about 15% for immune support and weight management. Pre/post/probiotics supplements that advertise themselves as good for mental health or mood support should target 20–50 years old consumers.

Product Category Preferences

Yogurt anchors the category today, with breadth and momentum building around adjacent formats. Yogurt is the most popular category yet with 70% of biotics users going after them, after that supplements follow with 53%. Functional beverages, snack bars, and skin care products are growing and attracting biotic users in recent years.

Purchase intent varies by benefit–format fit. People who buy snack bars and skin care products with postbiotic benefits show higher purchase intent than in dairy, functional beverages, and supplements. At the same time, people who buy snack bars, skin care, functional beverages, and supplements show higher purchase intent for prebiotics and probiotics than in dairy. This positions dairy as a mature entry point while non-dairy formats carry more upside for incremental intent.

Knowledge aligns with category pull:

• People with better knowledge of postbiotics → functional beverages

• People with better knowledge of prebiotics → snack bars

• People with better knowledge of probiotics → dairy products

Read together, these links map education to channel focus without relying on generic framing.

Access points and routines split by age and lifestyle.

• People under 40 most often get pre/post/probiotics through functional beverages

• People 20–50 most often get them through skincare and personal care

• Regular exercisers have high interest in functional beverages with pre/post/probiotics

• People who do not purchase supplements with pre/post/probiotics regularly are also people who do not exercise regularly

• Parents have significantly lower intent to use functional beverages with pre/post/probiotics and are more confused about these benefits

Gender dynamics diverge by category and price sensitivity.

• Skincare with pre/post/probiotics is the most popular category for women and the least popular for men

• Males are willing to pay more for snacks, bars, and cereal with pre/post/probiotics than other genders

• Within the supplement aisle, mothers are more interested in women’s health supplements

Willingness to pay rises sharply among active seekers, with clear category splits.

• Yogurt/fermented dairy: +12%

• Skincare and personal care: +20%

• Snacks, bars, and cereal: +17%

Lifestyle doubles the premium in everyday foods.

• Regular exercisers: +12% for snacks/bars/cereal vs. 6% for others

• Regular exercisers: +12% for yogurt/fermented dairy vs. 7% for others

Avoidance doesn’t mean disengagement. People who avoid pre/post/probiotics products because of digestive discomfort, dietary restrictions, or allergies tend to mostly use skincare products with these benefits, shifting from ingestible to topical while still seeking similar cues.

Diet identity maps cleanly to category pull:

• Vegetarians → Snack bars most popular

• Vegans → Functional beverages most popular

• Mediterranean → Functional beverages most popular

• Paleo → Supplements most popular

• Pescatarian → Functional beverages and skincare most popular

Labels and Messages for Trial

Early adopters respond to clear cues and plain-spoken claims. Among people highly interested in trying new pre/post/probiotics, the most important labels are gut-friendly, organic, GMO-free, and dairy-free. For the same group, the most persuasive phrasings are “supports gut health” and “feeds your microbiome.”

Benefit seekers cluster around specific label sets.

• For immune support users, the most important labels are organic, GMO-free, and gluten-free.

• For weight management users, the most important labels are high-protein, gut-friendly, low-calorie, low-fat, and low-sugar.

• For skincare consumers, the most important benefits are gut-friendly, organic, and GMO-free.

Format sharpens priorities at shelf.

• For snack bars, the most important benefits are gut-friendly, low-fat, plant-based, and gluten-free.

• For functional beverages, the most important benefits are high-protein, gut-friendly, organic, and gluten-free.

Together, these patterns show how “gut-friendly” anchors across audiences while protein, calorie, fat, sugar, and allergen cues tune persuasion by need state and format.

Reasons to Avoid and Proof Requirements

Physiological friction tops the list. Digestive discomfort is the main reason consumers avoid probiotics, even though many show strong intent to purchase.

On the shelf, reasons are split by format and proof:

• For functional beverages, the main reasons to avoid are taste and lack of CFU count

• For supplements, the main reason to avoid is lack of CFU count

• Lack of CFU count or named strain results in losing frequent prebiotic and probiotic consumers, and this is a particularly important reason for 20–30-year-olds to avoid products with pre/post/probiotics

Category-specific concerns:

• Snack bars/cereals → mainly avoided due to food allergies or intolerances

• Functional beverages → mainly avoided due to digestive discomfort

• Skincare/personal care → avoided due to digestive discomfort, dietary restrictions, food allergies or intolerances, and doctor’s advice

Age and Life Stage

Regular intent concentrates in mid-life, with distinct category skews. People in their 30s have significantly higher regular purchase intent for postbiotics and probiotics, and people aged 30–50 have significantly higher regular purchase intent for prebiotics. On average, people use one product with pre/post/probiotics; usage peaks at ages 30–40 and decreases with age.

Trial appetite spreads wider.

• People aged 40–60 are most likely to try postbiotics

• People aged 20–30 and 50–60 are most likely to try prebiotics and probiotics

This pattern pairs concentrated routine usage in the 30s with broader trial interest at the category edges.

Premium appetite concentrates in younger adults, with category-specific peaks:

• People aged 20–40 have the highest willingness to pay for functional beverages with pre/post/probiotics (about 15%) and for skincare and personal care with pre/post/probiotics (about 16%)

• People aged 20–30 have the highest willingness to pay for snacks/bars/cereal with pre/post/probiotics (about 15%) and for yogurt/fermented dairy with pre/post/probiotics (about 15%)

This pattern places the strongest premiums in early- and mid-adulthood, with the youngest cohort leading in everyday food formats.

Exercise Frequency

Exercise-linked routines deepen engagement. Regular exercise is associated with higher purchase-frequency intent for pre/post/probiotics, and there is a clear usage gradient: there is a positive correlation between exercise frequency and usage of pre/post/probiotics.

People who exercise at least three times a week often use two to three products daily. This points to daily ritualization, broader baskets, and strong potential for cross-category pairings around active-lifestyle cues.

Gender and Parents

Gender and household roles shape engagement patterns.

• Males tend to avoid pre/post/probiotics more than other genders

• Males are more frequent postbiotic users

• Prebiotics show no strong gender dominance in usage

• Females are more frequent probiotic users

At the trial stage, females are more interested in trying new products with pre/post/probiotics than males, signaling a stronger pipeline of future users among women.

Household dynamics add a volume signal. Parents have higher purchase-frequency intent for pre/post/probiotics overall, suggesting that family routines can amplify repeat purchasing even as product-type preferences vary by gender.

💡 Bonus Insight: Income Matters

Usage frequency of pre/post/probiotics increases with income.
Higher-earning households are more frequent users, signaling that spending power aligns with wellness-oriented purchasing habits.

Diet Patterns

Diet identity is a powerful signal for engagement. People with dietary preferences generally use pre/post/probiotics more than others, and special-diet followers use them more frequently than people without a special diet. This behavior shows up at the shelf as well. Preference for high-protein, gut-friendly, organic, GMO-free, plant-based, and gluten-free labels aligns with higher purchase intent for pre/post/probiotics products.

Avoidance patterns are distinct.

• People who avoid because of dietary restrictions mostly follow a Paleo diet

• People who avoid for other reasons mostly follow a Vegan diet

Together, these signals point to a clear segmentation where special-diet users are heavier users, label-sensitive shoppers are more likely to convert, and avoidance leans into specific diet identities rather than general skepticism.

Brands (Gut-Health Sodas)

Awareness and Monthly Consumption of Brands

Regular buyers cluster by benefit signal. Regular consumers of Mayawell, Popwell, Simply Pop, Health-Ade Pop, and Wildwonder show high purchase intent toward postbiotics, and regular consumers of Mayawell and Health-Ade Pop show high purchase intent toward prebiotics. People interested in high-fiber products prefer buying regularly from Olipop and Poppi, and are less interested in Popwell and Mayawell.

Household, age, and gender split brand pull.

• Parents buy Poppi and Simply Pop more

• Non-parents buy Humm and Wildwonder more

• Olipop and Culture Pop attract people under 40

• Humm and Poppi attract middle-aged consumers

• Popwell and Simply Pop attract people over 50

• Humm is most popular among females

• Simply Pop is most popular among males

Lifestyle and openness to novelty amplify specific labels.

• People who exercise regularly prefer functional beverages with pre/post/probiotics → brand dominance for Humm, Poppi, Wildwonder, and Health-Ade Pop

• People interested in new products with pre/post/probiotics are regular consumers of Olipop, Humm, Culture Pop, and Poppi

• Wealthier individuals are regular consumers of Olipop, Humm, Culture Pop, and Poppi

Pre/Post/Probiotics in Pet Foods

Overall Demand

Pets are emerging as a quiet catalyst for biotics adoption. 34% of pet owners buy pet food or treats with pre/post/probiotics, and pet owners show significantly higher purchase intent for all products with pre/post/probiotics compared to non-pet owners. Yet usage motives remain mostly human-focused: only 5.4% of pre/post/probiotic product usage is for pet health.

Within pet households, the pattern sharpens. Dog owners in particular use prebiotics and postbiotics more often than other pet owners, but not probiotics. Pet owners who seek out foods with pre/post/probiotic benefits also show intent to try high-fiber options, indicating a digestive-wellness cluster where biotics and fiber cues travel together across the pantry and the pet aisle.

Segments That Drive Intent

Interest in biotics for pets skews behaviorally and by life stage, not by wallet.

• Pet owners aged 20–50 and 60+ show significantly higher interest in pet foods with pre/post/probiotics

• Owners with a regular exercise routine are more likely to prioritize pre/post/probiotic benefits for their pets

These signals point to a wellness-oriented mindset extending to companion animals.

Economic filters don’t explain the pattern. Income level does not influence decisions to purchase pre/post/probiotic pet foods. Instead, household dynamics matter. Pet owners who are also parents are less willing to pay a premium for these products, suggesting that budget trade-offs in family settings can temper willingness to upgrade even when interest is present.

Willingness to Pay

Premium appetite rises when pre/post/probiotics are on the label.

• On average, pet owners are willing to pay about 10% more for pet foods with pre/post/probiotics

• Those who actively look for pre/post/probiotic pet foods pay about 17% more (7% above the average owner)

• Younger owners in their 20s lean even higher at 18% more, well above the average

Motivation sharpens the peak. Owners who actively prioritize their pets’ health are willing to pay as much as 24% more for pre/post/probiotic pet foods or treats. The resulting ladder is clear: broad interest at +10%, active seekers at +17%, and health-prioritizing households at +24%. This maps a premium curve that scales with intent.

Labels & Barriers

Label cues do the heavy lifting. For pet food with pre/post/probiotics, the most important labels are gut-friendly, organic, and plant-based. These signals map cleanly to a digestive-wellness and clean-ingredient frame that travels well across both premium and mainstream shelves.

Hesitation is rational rather than stylistic. The main reasons to avoid pre/post/probiotic pet foods are the lack of CFU count and concerns about effectiveness. This credibility gap points to simple fixes: clear CFU disclosure and proof-of-efficacy claims to convert interest into confident trial.

Closing Note

This report highlights how consumers engage with probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics across categories, benefits, and lifestyles. From knowledge gaps to willingness-to-pay signals, the data makes clear where education, labeling, and positioning can unlock growth.

At Peekage, we help food and beverage brands turn these kinds of insights into action. Our platform delivers fast, reliable consumer research to guide product innovation, packaging, pricing, and messaging decisions.

👉 Learn more about Peekage’s consumer insights services and discover how we can support your next innovation.