Conventional wisdom indicates that consumers prioritize a “what’s-in-it-for-me” mindset when shopping for products they need. And while a focus on personal wellness—brain health, immunity, digestive health, balanced macronutrient intake of fats, carbs and protein—can largely ring true, today’s marketplace also has space for greater societal impact and value-driven purchases.
42% of respondents said they were prioritizing purchasing products aimed at reducing waste. The other top trends—also at 42%—were brain health and healthy fats. At 20 percentage points above the 41-trend average of 22%, these trends indicate strong consumer momentum in the marketplace.
The high scores for reducing waste could demonstrate the “what’s-in-it-for-me” mindset is potentially expanding, striking an emotional personal chord with consumers. Waste-as-pollution aside, food waste headlines point to consumers as the culprit for throwing out perfectly good and edible produce, along with inefficiencies from farm to retail generating a stockpile of food waste equivalent to millions, if not billions, of dollars. Associating food waste with wasted dollars seems plausible in that it evokes a visceral consumer response akin to flushing money down the toilet, prompting consumers to seek out brands taking up the cause to reduce waste.