As we round out 2025 and rapidly approach 2026, we are watching these five trends in the health and wellness industry, which we expect will continue to drive consumer demand and raise notable legal considerations. We plan to dive deeper into these issues throughout the year, offering insights for investors, brands and retailers in this multitrillion-dollar global market.

1. Increased Industry Growth and Corporate Investment: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a surge in wellness brands as consumers are increasingly focused on personalized health. In turn, the growth prompted increased corporate deals in this industry over the last several years, from private equity to capital-raising efforts. Brands should work early and often to ensure their house is in order if they are ultimately planning for an exit strategy, and investors should conduct robust due diligence given the surge in wellness companies.
2. Keep It “Clean” and “Simple,” but Beware of Regulation and Litigation: Not only are consumers increasingly focused on clean ingredients in their foods, drugs and cosmetics, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and states are regulating “cleaner” labels. From the push to remove synthetic food dyes last year by FDA, to a surge in state “toxic free” imposing ingredient bans affecting the food and beauty industry, we anticipate continued efforts by lawmakers to carefully scrutinize what goes into our products. By the same token, the class action bar appears poised to continue significant false advertising litigation around safety, quality and ingredient claims, including statements such as “clean,” “wholesome,” “healthy,” “simple,” “plant-based,” “natural” and similar quality-related claims. Notably, violations of emerging state and federal regulations will likely make it easier for the plaintiffs' bar to bring class action litigation on such advertising and labeling claims.
3. Personalized Wellness Devices and Experiences: Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be everywhere, including the wellness industry. The incorporation of AI into health and wellness wearable apps, and related software devices focused on tracking and analyzing personalized health metrics, will facilitate more curated health and wellness products and services. However, the convergence of personalized data and curated wellness recommendations prompts a number of FDA, state practice of medicine and privacy/data protection considerations that brands must carefully navigate.
4. Convergence of the Sports and Fitness Industry with Connected Wellness: As the growth in wearable technology, personalized biometric apps and home-fitness equipment continues to grow, sports and fitness companies are increasingly looking to wellness products to drive sales. For example, gyms routinely offer red light therapy services, while sports equipment companies now integrate personalized software into hardware fitness equipment to meet consumer demand. Further, sports teams rely on connected devices to train and track athletes' health and performance.
5. A Focus on Both Mental Health and Women's Health: In addition to physical wellness and fitness, mental wellness is a key driver of the health and wellness industry. We are seeing an increased number of apps and telemedicine services focused on mental health as part of an overall wellness routine. Additionally, brands and investors are paying attention to female wellness in particular. This includes an increase in the number of products related to addressing fertility and menopause, from supplements and functional foods to "FemTech" devices. Brands in this space must carefully navigate FDA regulations, FTC advertising standards and state practice of medicine rules, while meeting the needs of consumers and potential investors.