After a booming summer for socialising, things are starting to cool off. Inflation and the cost of living crisis are catching up with consumers who might still have some pent-up desire to go out. These conflicting desires leave consumers dangling between spend and save, while still looking for ways to continue their social lives.
Anxiety is on the rise and yet, consumers can't get enough of their favorite stimulant: Caffeine. In this episode, EMI Insights Manager, Matt Barry, talks us though "The Caffeine Paradox," one aspect of his recent report on the future of coffee, in which anxious consumers counterintuitively refuse to give up their triple shot lattes despite their well understood negative side effects.
Listen to the conversation with Maria Mascaraque, Food Industry Manager, Howard Telford, Senior Soft Drinks Manager and Rosemarie Downey, Packaging Industry Manager to learn about the drivers of environmental sustainability regulations in foods and drinks industries and their implications on businesses and consumers.
Consumers are approaching a return to pre-pandemic life in different ways based on their comfort levels. Certain consumers are eager, whilst others are hesitant, to resume their normal activities, creating The Socialisation Paradox. This impacts a range of industries, from travel, food service, alcoholic drinks and home. Some consumers will continue to invest in making their home a sanctuary, while others will seek hedonistic endeavors. For some, foreign travel is an exciting prospect, while anxiety of others continues to buoy domestic tourism.
The pandemic has aroused a range of different feelings, leading some to increased anxiety and stress, and others to a higher proactivity and “can-do” attitude. Products to enhance focus and attention are becoming more popular at the same time as products intending to increase relaxation and calmness. Pandemic-related needs have brought this polarised trend into beverages, consumer health and cannabis, but where will it go from here?
The alcoholic drinks industry has faced massive shifts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, non-alcoholic spirits has achieved around 7-8% total volume growth on a global level; the exact opposite of the spirits category…