Digestive health in Thailand are driving stronger interest in prebiotic fibres as consumers become more conscious of overall wellness and everyday nutrition. Rising awareness of digestive wellness and gut health is also shaping demand for products that deliver functional benefits beyond taste and convenience alone.

These changing consumer preferences are offering valuable insight into broader health and wellness shifts taking place across Asia. Consumers are placing greater emphasis on healthier lifestyle choices, functional nutrition, and products that support their overall well-being.

A recent study by BENEO involving 900 Thai consumers aged 20 to 75 revealed growing interest in health-conscious food choices, digestive wellness, and functional ingredients. Many consumers are actively seeking health information and are open to trying foods that support their daily wellness needs.

BENEO Consumer Survey 2025: Health Perceptions in Thailand

From areas such as energy, hydration, and digestive wellness to broader priorities including immune and heart health, consumers are placing greater emphasis on products that align with healthier lifestyles. For food manufacturers, this presents growing opportunities to develop products that combine functionality, nutritional value, and consumer appeal.

Thailand Reflects Asia’s Growing Focus on Digestive Wellness

Consumers today view digestive health as an important part of overall wellbeing, making it one of the key health priorities among Thai consumers. Digestive health also ranked among the top areas consumers want to improve over the next 12 months, reflecting stronger interest in preventive health and healthier lifestyle choices.

Many consumers are also taking active steps to support their digestive wellbeing through everyday habits such as:

• Drinking water regularly
• Eating more fruits and vegetables
• Consuming fibre-rich foods
• Exercising regularly
• Taking probiotic products or supplements

Demand for fibre-rich and prebiotic ingredients also continues to gain momentum across food and beverage categories as digestive wellness becomes a stronger focus among consumers.

Rising Awareness of Prebiotics and Gut Health

Awareness of gut health and the gut microbiome is becoming more established among consumers, with many now associating digestive wellness not only with digestion, but also with overall wellbeing.

Consumer familiarity with prebiotics is also becoming more noticeable. Many consumers have heard of prebiotics and recognise their role in supporting digestive wellness, reflecting stronger interest in functional ingredients that can fit into everyday diets.

In fact, BENEO’s consumer findings showed that awareness of prebiotics among Thai consumers reached 95%, highlighting strong familiarity with digestive wellness-related ingredients.

Beyond functionality, they are also looking for products that deliver enjoyable taste, convenience, and familiarity. This continues to encourage innovation across categories such as bakery, beverages, snacks, dairy alternatives, and nutritional products.

As a result, prebiotic ingredients are becoming more widely explored in food and beverage formulations that balance functionality, sensory appeal, and everyday consumer preferences.

Growing Opportunities for Manufacturers in Digestive Wellness Products

As digestive wellness continues to gain attention across Asia, food manufacturers are placing greater focus on products that combine functionality, convenience, taste, and transparency.

This has accelerated innovation across categories such as bakery, beverages, snacks, dairy alternatives, and nutritional products, while also increasing the need to balance formulation performance, ingredient compatibility, labelling requirements, regulatory considerations, and consumer trust.

The growing focus on digestive wellness is also reflected in the regulatory progress surrounding prebiotic ingredients in Thailand. The Thai Food and Drug Administration officially approved an exclusive prebiotic claim for BENEO’s chicory root fibre, Orafti® Inulin, following a scientific review conducted by the Centre for Nutrition Assessment and Health Claims of Thailand.

As a brand partner of BENEO, DPO International supports food manufacturers with ingredient solutions, market insights, regulatory understanding, and application support for digestive wellness-focused food and beverage products.

This article is adapted from “Digestive health on the rise: What Thai consumers can teach us about global wellness trends“, by BENEO.