Here at VAAY, we’re confident in our products. However, we’re still reminded almost daily of how much pioneer work still lies ahead of us and the whole CBD industry. Many people are still clinging to misconceptions and false assumptions, as shown by our analysis of the latest CIVEY survey regarding CBD. >
This is so far the largest study conducted in Germany. Two test groups were polled: on the one hand the CBD-users, who already had experience with products, and on the other hand the so-called CBD-aware, who had encountered the topic before but had yet to test CBD products themselves. >
At first glance, it’s exciting to see how many Germans have heard of CBD before, and how many have already consumed CBD products. It’s also clear, however, that the majority of the German population (46.7%) have never heard of CBD (cannabidiol). The second largest group, at 44.6%, has heard of CBD before but never consumed it. The smallest group, at 8.7% of Germans, is the experienced CBD consumers. In the global sense, Germany is behind. In our neighboring country Austria, CBD-users make up 29% of the population, in Switzerland 24%, and in the USA and Great Britain 21%. >
1.How well do CBD users know their CBD products?
Whether we go for a CBD bath bomb, diffuser pen, or oil depends on several factors: the CBD effect, the scope of application, the ingredients, the packaging or brand. Hence the difficulty in filtering out which products which products are actually of high quality. The important question here is, how well do CBD users actually know their products? In our survey, we asked CBD-users what quantities of CBD they consume. The largest group (43.2%) indicates that they don’t know in which quantity they’re consuming CBD. >
39.3% are fairly certain of what amount of CBD they need to consume, whereas 6-11% state that they only occasionally or rarely know how much CBD they’re taking. These results alone are alarming, and show us how important our clarification work here is. >
Almost everyone can recite what quantity of aspirin they take, but it seems that CBD users pay little mind to how much CBD they’re consuming. This most likely stems from the lack of information out there, and the dubious online offers from which they buy their CBD. You know better: we disclose the exact ingredients for you on each of our products. We know how important it is to know how much and what kind of CBD you’re taking. The better you know your CBD tools, the more you can reap their benefits! >
2.What do CBD users especially look out for when buying CBD products?
Now for a particularly interesting question. The participants were asked what they personally find most important when shopping for CBD products. Almost 30% indicated amount and strength. A bit over 22% value most the naturality of the product, and almost 20% primarily look for an organic certification. Around 9% were most concerned with origin, price, or other factors. 2.1% said they look out for the terpene profile. That’s another interesting result because although terpenes are one of the most important active ingredients of CBD products, unfortunately very few people know this. Learn more about >CBD and terpenes in our hemp-wiki >. >
3.What holds a CBD-aware person back from using CBD products?
Considering the >benefits of CBD >, the significant question arises: why are so many CBD-aware people deciding not to test out CBD for themselves? The most frequent answer amongst CBD-aware people surveyed is that they do not feel they need it (33.8%), followed closely by a statement that they have nothing against CBD consumption itself. A bit less than one third of participants say that they could by all means see themselves trying out CBD (29%). 15% of participants admit that they fear potential health risks. In the lower 10th percentile, participants cite skepticism about whether CBD’s effectiveness, a lack of knowledge about purchasing CBD, or uncertainty about the origin of the CBD product. >
Hear, people’s ears especially prick up at percentages regarding health risks or potential memory loss. Some pioneering work is still needed to dispel these misconceptions. If you’re a CBD-user yourself, you may have experienced this before: telling friends or family about your positive experience with CBD and inevitably being interrupted with a load of false information or assumptions. Try as you might to unpack these arguments with science, a few listeners will remain unconvinced. Two opinions, who’s right? >
4.Could they imagine using a CBD product if you found a good product range?
The CBD-aware group were asked whether they’d consider consuming CBD if availability was significantly better. 33% answered “yes, definitely,” a bit over 16% answered “most likely yes,” 13% remained undecided, and 21% decided “most likely no.” A large group of 27.5% answered “definitely not.” >
The question was extended, because we wanted to know in what contexts the participants could imagine themselves using cannabidiols. The most popular answer was healing ointments at 44%, followed closely by massage oils and vaporisers. Other areas mentioned were dietary supplements, food, drinks, toiletries and cosmetics. Very important! The second most popular answer was “in none of these fields.” >
For comparison, the CBD-user group indicates that they could see themselves using CBD via vaporiser (28.2%), cosmetics (19.9%), or toiletries (17%). >
The numbers also show that one third of all participants view CBD use positively, but aren’t sure where they would get their CBD products or in which context or area a CBD product would make the most sense in their lives. What’s also interesting is the high percentage of interest in healing ointments. >
5.Where could they imagine yourself buying a CBD product?
When asked where they were most likely to buy the above CBD products, almost 44% of the CBD-aware responded that they’d expect the products in traditional pharmacies. Around 10-12% chose online shops, alternative shops, or CBD specialist shops. Supermarkets and online intermediaries were the least popular choices. Here another complication arises: many customers only trust classic pharmacies when it comes to buying health products. >
Let’s take a look at the CBD-users. Where do they want to purchase their CBD? Here, pharmacies take first place again, with 25.4%. The difference between the CBD-aware and the CBD-users is revealed in the online shopping sector. More than 20% of CBD-users say they’d go through with an online purchase. In comparison, 12% of the CBD-aware voted to buy “online directly from the manufacturer” and 6% chose “online from a distributor.” >
This result needs to be regarded separately. We must consider the role that participants’ past online CBD shopping experiences play in their choices today, and how these experiences are reflected in the survey responses. >
6.Does the state need to provide a better framework and more clarity?
Similar to the results of the question about THC legalization in Germany, our question about whether the state should establish a better framework for the sale of CBD products painted a clear picture. Over 40% of the CBD-aware group approve of such a measure, 21.1% are undecided and almost 18% say “most likely yes.” 9% of the participants vote “no,” and 11.7% vote “absolutely not.” >
7.For what purpose and at which time of day are CBD products used?
Relaxation, pain relief or an overall sense of well-being? Pain relief takes first place! 47.6% of polled CBD-users, and thus the majority, take CBD to alleviate pain. Second and third place were won by the wellness and relaxation sectors, respectively. 31% of participants prioritize better sleep, and 20% use CBD against inflammation. 6% indicate that they turn to CBD for improved concentration, and another 8.5% use it for muscle relaxation after exercise. 14.5% of participants indicate that they use CBD for some purpose aside from those stated. >
Regarding the time of day at which they consume their CBD, 50% of CBD-users indicate the evening. Almost 22% spread their CBD consumption out evenly throughout the day, and nearly 15% choose to take it in the morning. The smallest group, at 4%, indicates midday. Another 10.8% consume CBD during the night. For those night owls among us, we’ve developed a CBD oil enriched by melatonin to support your sleep. Learn more here about the >VAAY Night Melatonin Spray with Hemp Extract. >
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8.How do active CBD users rate their CBD experience?
In a survey for CBD-users about their general CBD experiences, 40% reported “positive” and 33% “very positive” experiences. Around 20% were undecided, and only 7.6% indicate rather negative or very negative experiences. Compared to classic medications and their side effects, these values demonstrate the advantages of CBD. However, this is only seen from a statistical perspective. >
When asked whether they would use CBD again, 59.1% of users answered “yes, definitely” and 16.8% answered “yes.” Only 10.3% of users remained undecided, and 15% indicated “most likely not” or “definitely not.” >
9.Bottom line: CBD is a word on everyone’s tongue, but unfortunately often with false information and assumptions!
All this can be summed up as follows: many of those who were polled in the CBD-aware group still hold misconceptions about CBD and its potential uses. This is also in regards to side effects and risks. The CBD-users, who already have positive experiences using CBD products, see everything very differently. In Germany a good bit of pioneer work is still needed to rid the CBD-aware group of their false impressions. >
For us, this means keeping our eye on the ball. We’re not only providing you with the best possible CBD products––products which we ourselves are confident in. We also want to take part in pioneer work to bring CBD out of the shadows. We believe in the positive purposes of our products and of CBD in general. If you’ve read our guide all the way through, that’s already a victory. Because you’re now better informed than the CBD-aware group from the survey and won’t let yourself be deceived and confused by dubious sources. You’ll trust the expert info. We’re your CBD experts and soon-to-be first stop for informing yourself about CBD. Take a look at our >guide to terpenes & co >., so that you know what we mean by “CBD experts”! >
