Trend Watching just released five emerging consumer trends for 2020. Below we call out our top 3 picks and provide examples of products and services that support their forecast.
Green Pressure
Consumers are moving from eco-status to eco-shame in 2020. Eco-consumption will become less about the status of opting in, and more about the shame of opting out.
We already see evidence of this when it comes to straws. The pressure to ban plastic straws intensified after a heartbreaking video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw lodged in its nose went viral. DrinkingStraw.ca, a Canadian online shop, is one of many brands offering eco-friendly reusable straws for sale. They sell straws made of bamboo, glass and stainless steel – and they come with a straw cleaner.
Several companies, including Starbucks, A&W and Harvey’s have announced they are phasing out plastic straws and moving to paper straws as proof they share in their customers’ stance against products that are ecologically harmful.
Plastic shopping bags are another item that has become highly unfashionable. With the push away from plastic, many shoppers are seeking out guilt-free, reusable bags. Amazon.ca offers over 100,000 results for ‘reusable grocery bag’, with a huge variety of colourful patterns, materials and designs available.
The Burn Out
Smart brands are rushing to help those burned out by the pressures of modern life. Canada Life established a Workplace Strategies for Mental Health initiative in 2007 as part of Great-West Life’s commitment to enriching communities across Canada. The initiative is still going strong. They work to fund and develop free tools and resources designed to help Canadian employers with the prevention, intervention and management of workplace mental health issues.
The Speakers Bureau of Canada has a speaker’s series geared towards Burnout and Energy. There are over 20 motivational speakers available for hire to speak at business events and workshops on the topic of burn out.
Civil Media
Trend Watching predicts that consumers will embrace smaller and more intimate digital spaces that facilitate respectful and meaningful connections.
There are a number of small, niche communities popping up to that demonstrate the notion of Civil Media. Online communities can be geared towards a specific target group: expecting moms, new moms, retired seniors, etc. Or, they can connect individuals with shared interests and hobbies: bike commuters, pet lovers, avid readers, crafty kids, knitters, bird watchers, antique collectors, etc.
Ravelry is a social media website designed to connect knitters and crocheters. A place to
keep track of their yarn, tools, project and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration. The content here is all user- driven; the community make the site what it is. Ravelry is a great place to keep notes about your projects, see what other people are making, find the perfect patterns and connect with people who love to play with yarn from all over the world.
Source: Trend Hunter’s Consumer Trends for 2020
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