MACRO TREND
What’s Happening
Interest in health and wellness has been on the rise for years, but the pandemic has thrown it into even sharper focus, with people becoming hyper-focused on both physical and mental health. It means there is a growing need for better access to not only health treatments, but also to information and education around health and nutrition.
Pre-pandemic, people were focused on proactively optimising their health and pushing to be the best version of themselves. But the pandemic saw a shift to people taking reactive approaches to avoid catching the virus and reduce the severity of symptoms. Moving forward, people will be marrying proactive and protective approaches to their health and wellbeing.
59%
of global consumers say they are more concerned about their overall health due to COVID-19.
MICRO TRENDS
Mental Fitness
People are looking to build more resilient mental states to improve their wellbeing
There has been a rise in the desire to manage mental health as much as physical health. With economic stress, the pandemic and social injustices taking their toll, people also sought to build mental resilience.
From lockdown boredom to anxiety caused uncertainty, people are looking to protect themselves from negative emotions. As people start to come out of isolation, they’re also experiencing some concerns about readjusting to social contact.
Heights: Supplements to boost brain power
Wellness start-up Heights offers dietary supplements to improve cognitive function, designed to be part of a daily self-care routine - rather than a quick fix. These sustainable, plant-based supplements’ promise to use nootropics to promote sharper focus, improved mood, greater energy levels and sounder sleep.
Visit yourheights.com/Healthified Foods
People are seeking out functional foods that offer extra health benefits
After a year of unpredictability due to the pandemic, people are craving control - and one place they can get it is through the world of food and drink. From gut health to immunity, people are looking at food as a way to boost their wellbeing, particularly with products that have added benefits.
Fungtn: adaptogenic alcohol-free beer
Launched in 2020, Fungtn is an alcohol-free craft beer brewed with mushroom-derived adaptogens – an ingredient purported to have physical and psychological health benefits.
Visit www.fungtn.comMindful Eating
People are looking to boost their health by being more conscious of their eating habits
With more than 2,500 meditation apps having launched since 2015, mindfulness has reached the mainstream. But the pandemic magnified the significance of mindfulness, with revenues for the top 100 meditation apps reaching $1.1 billion in 2020. Now, these attitudes are also bleeding into food. People want to be more conscious of their eating habits and the impact of what they put in their bodies.
64%
of people globally say that snacks have helped nourish their body, mind and soul during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whole Foods x Headspace: Food for Mood
In March 2021, Whole Foods and Headspace collaborated to launch a four-part video series on IGTV (‘Food for Mood’) that explored mindful shopping, cooking and eating. Episodes focused on recipes to improve mood and featured guided meditations titled ‘Joyful shopping’, ‘Cooking with gratitude’ and ‘Mindful eating’.
Read more on the Whole Foods siteReconnecting with Nature
People are placing more value on the natural world and how it can benefit their health
After experiencing the restrictions of lockdown, people have a renewed sense of appreciation for the health benefits of engaging with nature. It can be a real mood booster – research from Princeton University has found that gardening has a positive impact on emotional wellbeing (or happiness) similar to biking, walking or dining out.
58%
of Americans say they didnt appreciate nature as much as they should have before the pandemic.
Men With The Pot: cooking in nature
Men With The Pot is a TikTok cooking channel that features its founders cooking over a campfire in the forests of County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, as a way to destress after work. It’s rocketed in popularity, garnering more than eight million followers since April 2020, with videos routinely racking up millions of views.
See more on TikTokDemocratising Care
People are demanding more inclusive access to healthcare and health food options
The imbalanced proliferation and inequitable treatment of the COVID-19 virus has highlighted inequalities in global healthcare systems. People are not only looking for democratised access to treatments, they’re also looking for accessible information and education around health and nutrition.
23%
of people globally struggle to achieve a healthy and balanced approach to nutrition and 80% point to price as an issue.
French Government: Democratising mental health for French citizens
In a bid to make mental health support more accessible, the French government has vowed to begin offering free therapy for French citizens starting 2022. The announcement was made following a national survey results that revealed an estimated 10% of French citizens had suicidal thoughts between March 2020 and March 2021.
Visit Democratising mental health for French citizensToolkit
To help you shift insight into action, we have developed a toolkit of 7 resources. You can use them all for a full planning session, but you can mix and match these based on which you feel are most relevant to the opportunities you are addressing for your business and your brand(s).
Toolkit Cheat Sheets
These cheat sheets used in conjunction with the toolkit provide useful stimulus for workshops or any kind of trends team work. While you can download and use yourselves, please contact the Thinking House for more material and support.
Macro Trends
People are seeking out experiences that bring them closer to people and brands
