The Supportive Society
What’s Happening:
People are looking to bring care to a world that needs it.
People are feeling disconnected from the systems they are a part of, be those political systems, community systems, or food systems. The rise of online belonging and digital fandoms has come at a time when people have also never felt lonelier IRL.
Searching for reconnection, people are looking for new ways to be together and to support one another without the fear of showing how vulnerable we all actually are.
#1
According to the World Economic Forum, the erosion of social cohesion is the risk to society that worsened the most since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.
Behavioural Trends
Communal Dining
People are relearning what it means to gather around food.
There have long been trends that position socialising as a central purpose of food, from kaffee und kuchen (Germany’s ‘coffee and cake ritual’) to fika (a Danish social tradition that pairs conversation with cake). But in the wake of the disconnectedness and isolation left by the pandemic, people are looking anew for ways to make friends and connect with others.
With nearly half of digitally native Gen Zers reporting a desire to disconnect from their smartphones (compared to only 20% of boomers saying the same) and the rising popularity of ‘dumbphones’, the social aspects of dining out and eating together are set to undergo a transformation.
74%
of people aged 13-24 globally check their social media accounts more than they would like to
Case Study
Family dynamics in France are shifting, prompting the need for alternatives to nuclear-family arrangements. Cue Commune, the co-living dream for single parents that offers shared spaces, social events, and a dedicated app, all helping to combat a loneliness epidemic and a lack of affordable housing.
Read more on CommuneFoodie Fandoms
People are outwardly expressing their allegiances to food and drink businesses.
In 2021, The Guardian dubbed restaurant merch ‘the new band tee’ spurred by a rise in support for local businesses, many of which were struggling during the pandemic. Dubbed ‘delicore’ the trend served as a way for people to signal fandom whilst supporting small businesses. As a result, restaurant merch in turn became a way to signal cultural cache – in addition to being a stylish accessory.
Fast-forward to 2023 and it isn’t only the merch people are using to signal status, but the food itself too. With polls finding that Gen Zers are treating themselves more regularly than any other generation, specialised, niche, or just plain yummy foods have become a showcase of cultural prowess – as well as a respite from a stressful world and a way to find community.
77%
of internet users globally say that the most important group they’re part of operates online
Case Study
McDonald’s Purple Shake: meme participation
McDonald’s noted a +14% boost in net sales in their Q2 2023 earnings report. This coincided with the ‘Grimace Shake’ phenomenon that went viral in June. Would-be fans posted videos of themselves ‘dying’ from the purple milkshake, setting off a string of takes that were essentially mini-horror films.
Read more on Championing potato milkExplore the new Innovation Pathways
Purposeful Lives
As people look to live with a more defined sense of purpose and meaning, businesses could help reinforce that sense of self through food and drink
