UM Unveils New Wellness Research for a USD 31.8 Billion Malaysian Market

As wellness moves from aspiration to everyday behaviour, research calls on brands to find differentiation and remain relevant

Omnicom Media Malaysia’s leading global media and communications agency UM Malaysia, has today announced the launch of a groundbreaking wellness research in conjunction with Global Wellness Day on the 13^th of June.

UM’s latest wellness research reveals a rapidly expanding USD 31.8 billion market in Malaysia, growing at 7.8% CAGR, with Malaysians now allocating 40% of discretionary spending (Figure 1) toward wellness, outpacing even education. Yet despite strong growth signals and heightened consumer commitment, the study highlights a critical challenge: most wellness marketing remains too generic to drive meaningful impact, leaving brands highly visible but increasingly irrelevant.

Key Findings from UM Malaysia’s Wellness Research

UM’s research captures a decisive shift in how Malaysians define and pursue wellness, with consumers organising their behaviours around four core need states: Eat Better, Feel Better

Move Better, Age Better.

• 7 in 10 employees report burnout, highlighting a widespread wellbeing gap
• 61% actively monitor their food choices, signalling rising self-awareness (Figure 2)
• 54% trust “all natural” claims over vague or generic wellness messaging
• Participation in social sports is booming, with trends like pickleball increasing by 132%
• The skincare and supplements category alone is valued at USD 700–800 million, underscoring strong category momentum

The Problem: Generic Messaging in a Goal-Based World

The research reveals a clear mismatch between consumer motivations and brand communications. While Malaysians are increasingly adopting goal-based approaches to wellness, most brands continue to rely on broad, undifferentiated health messaging.

• 54% of consumers prefer simple, credible claims, indicating a demand for clarity and specificity rather than abstract wellness promises. (Figure 3)
• While 70% report experiencing burnout, the ways individuals manage stress and support their wellbeing differ by generation, shaped by varying priorities, lifestyles, and access to coping resources. (Figure 4)
• The surge in social sports communities demonstrates that consumers are forming identities around specific goals—not demographics

The result: brands are visible across channels but fail to connect meaningfully, are seen but not felt, and are reaching audiences but not resonating with them.

UM’s Recommendation: A fundamental shift in how brands engage consumers

1. From demographic targeting to goal-based targeting, aligning with how consumers now organise their lives
2. From one-size-fits-all campaigns to tailored solutions, addressing specific need states such as better sleep, nutrition, or mobility
3. From generic claims to credible, evidence-backed messaging, building trust through clarity and proof

The research confirms that the country’s wellness market is no longer defined by broad health categories, but by clear, goal-oriented consumer behaviour. With the market not only growing but maturing, consumers are ready to engage deeply with brands that understand their motivations. Brands that fail to evolve risk commoditisation. Those that act decisively can capture disproportionate value.

 “What this research makes clear is that Malaysia’s wellness market is no longer a broad, abstract space. It is deeply personal and goal driven. Consumers are actively making choices to eat better, feel better, move better, and age better, and they’re expecting brands to support those goals in clear and meaningful ways. At UM, we have made a commitment to Stand Against Bland, which means making brands remarkable, delightful, and culturally relevant, and moving away from being merely visible to becoming meaningfully impactful. The opportunity here for brands is significant, but so is the responsibility. Those who truly understand these evolving behaviours and respond with relevance, credibility, and tangible value will be the ones that lead the next phase of growth in this category.” – Sue-Anne Lim, CEO of UM Malaysia