Why are Asian consumers paying more for validated wellness?

Trust gaps and health priorities drive science-backed beauty demand.

Asian consumers are increasingly paying more for beauty and wellness products that carry medical or scientific validation, as trust, health priorities and value considerations reshape purchasing decisions.

Euromonitor data shows that 49% of consumers are willing to pay a 10% premium for products with scientific formulations, signalling a shift away from marketing-led claims towards evidence-backed credibility.

Despite persistent cost-of-living pressures, health has emerged as a rising concern across the region. Ting Szu Tan, Regional Director of Asia Pacific FMCG Consulting and Insights at NielsenIQ, said, “Actually, not surprising to see the top concern across Asia: price, economy, utility bills, which are rarely related to cost of living. Health is actually number four.” She added that health ranks first in China and third in Indonesia, with consumers expecting health and wellness to grow in importance over the next five years across all age groups.

Health itself is being redefined. Tan said, “Health is actually evolving to be the number one health concern as your mental health now, which is the first time they claim the number one spot. Number two is actually sleep, and then third is nutrition.” She said trust plays a decisive role in product choice, noting that “according to Nielsen IQ 2026 consumer outlook, 56% of APAC consumers state that the product quality and consistency influences brand trust.”

That erosion of trust in traditional branding is reshaping how consumers evaluate wellness and beauty products. Ahmad Khan, Senior Analyst at GlobalData, said, “Consumers are becoming increasingly skeptical of traditional brand marketing and influencer led claims.” He said “science has become a substitute for that traditional brand authority,” with medically validated claims acting as “a shortcut to credibility” that reassures consumers products will deliver real results.

Khan said medical validation also supports a broader shift towards proactive health management. “Consumers want to actively manage their well being in a way that feels personalised and preventative,” he said, adding that validation “legitimise these personalised choices.” He also said affordability remains critical, with medically validated products “increasingly perceived by the consumer as offering better overall value, not just higher performance,” particularly when science-backed benefits are combined with accessible pricing.