Europe Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Intervention (Body Healing, Traditional Alternative Medicine/Botanicals, Mind Healing), And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

Report Overview

The Europe complementary and alternative medicine market size was valued at USD 27.44 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.89% from 2021 to 2028. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is considered a traditional treatment and the market is majorly driven by the growing awareness regarding the numerous associated benefits. Furthermore, an increase in the adoption of herbal supplements, spas, and other wellness treatments has resulted in the considerable growth of the market. The rising penetration of coaching institutes for these therapies has led to an increase in practice and implementation. However, most of the techniques applied in alternative medicine are not approved by regulatory bodies in the European region. Therefore, to increase the penetration of CAM, several governments and regulatory bodies have undertaken efforts to establish clinical evidence and provide support for considering these techniques as alternative medicines.

The use of CAM is common in Western European countries. In recent decades, there has been an increase in the number of patients using these therapies, which are extensively evaluated as less toxic and significantly safer than conventional medical treatments. This trend has been prevalent in both the general population as well as patient groups and particularly in those who are suffering from chronic diseases. For instance, as per data provided by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc., in Austria, the use of CAM for IBD is relatively high. A total of 50.7% of patients had used CAM for inflammatory bowel disease at least once.

Moreover, a favorable reimbursement scenario is expected to augment the use of CAM over the forecast period. For instance, 90% of the German population’s healthcare is covered by social health insurance and 10% is privately insured. As compared to other European countries, the German health system has a comparatively strong market orientation and most of the CAM is not covered by social health insurance, however, there is a great inclination in the German population to pay privately for alternative treatments. Thus, providing these services can also be economically attractive for GPs. 

Furthermore, from being the origin of homeopathy to being the first in the usage of CAM in Europe to leading coverage and regulation movements, Germany is always at the lead of alternative medicine. Germany has been pioneering in healthcare and healthcare coverage, and the next steps they take in complementary and alternative medicine regulation are likely to set trends and offer lucrative opportunities for growth over the forecast period. 

Intervention Insights

The body healing segment accounted for the largest revenue share of over 25.0% in 2020. Increasing awareness regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of traditional systems of medicine and growing consumer preference for gentle therapies are major factors augmenting the demand for body healing techniques in the European region. Moreover, as they reduce stress and provide comfort to patients, these kinds of techniques are increasingly being adopted in the prevention and diagnosis of several medical ailments.

Moreover, scientific and empirical evidence to support the use of acupuncture for numerous chronic illnesses is driving the adoption of acupuncture. For instance, the efficiency of acupuncture, a prevalent treatment for releasing pain, has been confirmed through numerous laboratory experiments and clinical trials. As a result, 90% of pain clinics in the U.K. and 70% in Germany involved acupuncture as a method of treatment.

Mind healing is anticipated to grow at a lucrative rate over the forecast period. Increasing awareness regarding mind healing and the rising prevalence of mental illness along with well-established research institutes will offer lucrative opportunities over the forecast period. For instance, the MBM institutes in Germany, particularly the Clinic and Chair of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen, and Halbach Foundation at the University Duisburg-Essen, have been combining mind healing with the concept of integrative medicine.

Furthermore, Switzerland is also offering a Contemplative Psychotherapy Program, which aims at incorporating compassion-based meditation and mindfulness practices and Buddhist psychology with neuropsychology and contemporary psychotherapy. Germany, Switzerland, and Austria are well known for having one of the most beautiful and breathtaking sceneries of nature, and Germany is the best place for a perfect wellness retreat. Paracelsus Recovery is one of the finest clinics in Switzerland offering a wide range of services. 

Country Insights

Germany accounted for the largest revenue share of over 20.0% in 2020. In Germany, CAM in primary healthcare is offered by natural health practitioners, also known as Heilpraktiker (HPs), and general practitioners. In Germany, naturopathy, phytotherapy, homeopathy, acupuncture, autogenic training, and chiropractic are the most commonly used therapies reported in population surveys. About 5% of German men and 9% of German women reported a visit to a CAM specialist. 

Further, in 2015, as per Federal Health Monitoring, among 485 doctors, more than 67 had CAM qualifications. However, many general practitioners are providing CAM in their daily practice. Further, a German survey revealed that about 60% of all GPs in Germany provide CAM. Moreover, in Germany, patients intentionally opt for complementary and alternative medicine to avoid side effects from drugs. Owing to these factors, the market for CAM in Germany is growing at a faster pace. 

Moreover, Germany has been a pioneer in offering Ayurvedic education for the past 20 years. For instance, Ayurveda Health and Treatment Center and REAA have training centers in Switzerland and Austria, as well as in other places in Germany. REAA for the past 20 years has conducted courses on Ayurvedic medicine, Ayurveda massage, nutrition, and trained over 4,000 students, with 300 doctors among them. 

Further, the increasing prevalence of chronic illness will propel market growth. For instance, as per the data provided by the WHO/Europe, 58% of Germans aged 65 and over are suffering from at least one chronic disease, a percentage that is somewhat above other European countries. In the past years, Ayurveda has shown positive results in the management of cancer. For instance, research pertaining to liver cancer treatment by a government Ayurveda doctor has won global recognition. The scientific expert committee of the European Academy of Ayurveda has acknowledged the study conducted and will publish the findings. 

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The European market for complementary and alternative medicine is highly competitive with the presence of a large number of key players as well as emerging players. The advent of new strategic plans to maintain competitiveness stimulates the market growth. Some prominent players in the Europe complementary and alternative medicine market include:

• SUN AND MOON HEALING

• Columbia Nutritional

• Nordic Nutraceuticals

• Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute

• The Healing Company Ltd.

• John Schumacher Unity Woods Yoga Centre

• Sheng Chang Pharmaceutical Company

• Pure encapsulations, LLC

• Herb Pharm

• AYUSH Ayurvedic Pte Ltd. 

Europe Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at the regional and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2028. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the Europe complementary and alternative medicine market report on the basis of intervention and country: 

• Intervention Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

  • Traditional Alternative Medicine/Botanicals

    • Ayurveda

    • Apitherapy

    • Bach Flower Therapy

    • Naturopathic Medicine

    • Traditional Chinese Medicine

    • Traditional Korean Medicine

    • Traditional Japanese Medicine

    • Traditional Mongolian Medicine

    • Traditional Tibetan Medicine

    • Zang-Fu Theory

  • Mind Healing

    • Autosuggestion & Self-hypnosis

    • Hypnotherapy

    • Neuro-linguistic Programming

    • Spiritual Mind Treatment

    • Transcendental Meditation

  • Body Healing

    • Acupressure

    • Acupuncture

    • Alexander Technique

    • Auriculotherapy

    • Chiropractic

    • Cupping Therapy

    • Kinesiology

    • Osteomyology

    • Osteopathy

    • Pilates

    • Qigong

    • Reflexology

    • Yoga

  • External Energy Healing

    • Magnetic Therapy

      • Bio-magnetic Therapy

      • Magnetic Resonance Therapy

    • Radionics

    • Reiki

    • Therapeutic Touch

    • Chakra Healing

  • Sensory Healing

    • Aromatherapy

    • Sound healing

• Country Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

  • France

  • Germany

  • Switzerland

  • Austria

  • Spain

  • Norway

  • Denmark

  • Sweden

  • Belgium

  • Netherlands

  • U.K.

  • Ireland