HEALTH MEGA-TREND #5: Stress Reduction

For 75% of consumers across 17 countries and four regions, "maintaining or improving health" has become more important to them in the two years since Datamonitor's last report on Developments in Global Consumer Trends.

The recent Datamonitor survey shows that more than 40 health-driven trends are influencing consumer lifestyles and product choices globally.

In analyzing MEGA-TREND #5, we see that stress is a common theme in modern lifestyles as consumers adopt stress reduction strategies in their pursuit of wellbeing. Consumers are faced with the need to confront and manage tension and anxiety

This mean that the pursuit of work-life balance represents an ongoing conflict between a desire to maximize leisure time, maximize occupation success, and maximize leisure time.

What this has led to is the “pampered relaxation”, which is ways consumers are actively seeking moments of downtime.  In addition, “mood foods” reflect consumers’ tendency to eat as a comfort or reward.

Here are implications and opportunities that emerge from these finding:

1. position products as ‘antidotes to reality’ and which give consumers a feeling of being in control
2. help consumers navigate the ongoing problem of work-life balance
3. align with the pampered relaxation trend, particularly personal care
4. develop a portfolio of food and beverages based on ingredients that make individuals happier, calmer, livelier and even more intelligent

All of these are potentially compelling propositions for those who are becoming more aware of protecting their mental/emotional well-being.