The CBD industry is rapidly growing in the UK, with the industry currently generating £690 million a year. But who are the people propelling this massive growth? And what are the most common reasons they are buying and using CBD products?

Who Uses CBD Products?

In one of the most comprehensive reports into the CBD industry ever conducted, the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (CMC) found approximately 6 million people in the UK have used CBD products, with 11% of the population using them within the last year. People aged between 25-49 are the most likely age group to use them at 11%, which falls to 8% of 50-64 year olds and 5% of 65+. Usage was higher among women, at 13%, compared to men, of whom 9% used CBD products. Usage was higher in Wales and Northern Ireland than in other parts of the UK. 

People buying CBD products in the UK want high quality information about how it is produced, with 26% saying they value clear product labelling about the contents and how the CBD was produced. They also want advice on how to use their products, with 15% saying they highly valued instructions on how to use the product. Consumers also said that knowing the product was made by a supplier that met standards guidelines was important (32%), as well as knowing the product wasn’t contaminated with heavy metals or pesticides (25%). 

Why Do They Use CBD Products?

According to a YouGov study on CBD usage conducted in 2019, the main reason people use CBD products is to increase their overall wellbeing and to improve sleep, with 54% of people citing those reasons. This was followed by pain management at 42% and coping with anxiety at 38%. 

The average CBD user may be wary of going down the traditional pharmaceutical route to deal with mental issues, with 24% of adults saying they would rather use holistic remedies such as CBD than take anti-anxiety medicines or antidepressants. This increases among young people, with 50% of millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) saying they would prefer to use CBD oil rather than antidepressants.

These statistics show that the average CBD user favours natural remedies over medicines that can physically change your mind and body, and often have very severe side effects. Younger generations are more aware of and concerned about the downsides of antidepressants and are likely to try other methods before taking them.

When Do They Use CBD Products?

A study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research looked at how long people had been regularly using CBD products. It found that 37.7% of the people surveyed had been using them for between 3-6 months, and 29.9% had been using them for between 6-12 months. This suggests that most people are relatively new to the world of CBD but, once they start taking a product, they stay with it. Some people have been taking CBD since before it hit the mainstream, with 4.1% of people using CBD products regularly for more than five years. 

The same study looked at the times of day that people usually used their products. Evening came out top at 25.6% as the most popular time for people to use CBD, which ties in with the results showing most people use CBD to help with sleep. After that comes morning and evening at 23.8%, followed by when needed at 20.2%. 

These figures suggest that while some people have a fixed routine regarding their CBD usage, others rely on it to pick them up or calm them down throughout the day. This group is likely to carry their CBD products with them so they have them on hand when they are needed, perhaps using easily portable items such as gummies, vapes or oils in small tincture bottles. 

A study by the Centre for Medical Cannabis found that the average CBD user spends £25 a month on products, but those who use the products systematically are spending £55 per month.

How Do They Use CBD Products?

There are now many different ways of taking CBD, thanks to the ever increasing types of products available on the market. Whether you like the convenience of oil or vape, enjoy getting CBD through food and drinks or prefer raw materials like extracts and concentrates, there is a way for everyone to enjoy CBD. 

Despite this diverse range of methods, the Journal of Cannabis Research study found that sublingual ingestion was by far the most popular method at 72.6% (taking CBD sublingually means taking a drop of oil underneath your tongue and letting it sit for 30-60 seconds before swallowing it. There is a complex network of capillaries beneath the tongue that transport oxygen to your organs, giving CBD an efficient route around your body). 

Following on from this, the next most popular ways were taking capsules (17.6%), applying topically to skin in the form of creams and moisturisers (14%), vaping (9%), edibles (8.5%) and drinking (6.7%). 

Who is the Average CBD Consumer?

After looking at all of the evidence cited above we can begin to build a profile of the average CBD consumer. She is a woman aged between 25-49 who uses CBD to aid with sleep and to support her general wellbeing. It’s important to her to be well informed about where her CBD products have come from, how they have been produced and what ingredients they contain. She also likes to have clear instructions on how the product is used.

Her preferred method to take it is as an oil dropped beneath her tongue. She is likely to have been using CBD for between 3-6 months and is most likely to use it in the evening, probably as part of a winding down routine before going to bed. 

If you run a CBD company, understanding your target market can be incredibly powerful when it comes to branding and marketing your products to be attractive to the people most likely to purchase them. Whilst this article may give you some new insight into the profile of an average CBD consumer in the UK, it’s certainly no substitute for doing your own comprehensive market research. 

Whether you are thinking of starting up a CBD drop shipping company or want to make an already established brand stand out in a crowded market, get in touch with us today to find out how we can help.

Since January 2019 CBD has been considered a ‘novel food’,  meaning that you need to apply to the FSA for authorisation to sell it in the UK. At JM Wholesale, all the CBD products we stock are Novel food compliant, meaning you can buy with confidence, knowing they’re fully approved by the Food Standards Agency.

To find out more about CBD, or to purchase from the UK's leading CBD distributer, visit the JM wholesale website.