The post-corona consumer
In part two of our Post-Pandemic World series, we explore the kinds of consumer spending, behaviours, habits and preferences we can expect after COVID-19
In part one of our new Post-Pandemic World series, we asked whether life can ever be the same again after COVID-19? As all markets begin to adjust to life beyond corona, brands and producers will be keeping a sharp eye on the long-term implications for their business. So, while global consumer trends and habits are always changing fast, the question now is can we easily anticipate or predict what happens next?
Changing habits
In our Keeping the Chain Going series, we examined the immediate impact of COVID-19 on consumer trends and consumption habits. This included stockpiling grocery basics, a marked increase in online shopping, buying more packaged foods and shelf-stable products, and a growing awareness of food safety and hygiene. Many of these behaviours are likely to continue for some time with consumers cautious about returning to their old habits and routines.
While this caution spells uncertainty for some brands and producers, it’s important to remember that a number of new opportunities are opening up. Following a long period of monotony and restriction with limited choices and a slowdown in launches, many consumers are keen to celebrate life by looking to new and innovative products.
According to research from food consultant Mattson, 58% of consumers will want new food and beverage products immediately after the COVID-19 crisis, providing ample demand for pent-up innovation. Tired from months of basic and frugal shopping, consumers are ready to enjoy being out in society again, seeking exciting products that offer new or added-value experiences.
At home and online
While we can expect the demand for on-the-go products to return after lockdown, the popularity for at-home experiences is likely to remain. With the fear of another outbreak, many consumers will continue to recreate exclusive, indulgent or premium outdoor experiences in the comfort of their home. As we explored on SIGnals, this insperience experience is all about bringing the best of the world outside inside, from gourmet-style dining to café-quality drinks. And our Heat&Go solution is already enabling producers to create easy-to-prepare, value-added hot drinks at home.
Another consumer behaviour that looks set to continue is the growing reliance on online channels and digital solutions. According to McKinsey, consumers are adopting and intensifying digital and reduced-contact ways of accessing products and services even as countries around the world begin to reopen. All of which means, more than ever, brands and producers need to consider the online reach, image and potential of their products – particularly amongst Gen Z and millennials for whom online shopping and digital interactions are second nature.
To help producers increase the digital engagement of their products, our Connected Pack solution PAC.ENGAGE is enabling customers to interact with consumers via our packaging. With a simple smartphone scan, consumers can access a world of games and competitions as well as loyalty programmes and vouchers to redeem online.
Products for good
A wider impact of COVID-19 is that we can expect to see a greater commitment to purchase from companies that do good for society and the environment. During the pandemic, the role of businesses in communities has been brought sharply into focus, especially food and beverage companies. And with a growing awareness of social value and purpose, consumers will be looking to products that make a more positive impact on the planet.
Independent lifecycle assessments show SIG cartons offer a significantly better environmental performance than alternative packaging for a range of products, including long-life food, UHT milk and non-carbonated soft drinks. And to help producers offer even more responsible and sustainable packaging, we offer a whole of range of solutions that go even further.
These include everything from fully renewable and recyclable paper straws to aluminium-free packaging structures such as EcoPlus, requiring 28% less CO2 to produce than a conventional structure in the same format, and SIGNATURE 100, featuring polymers 100% linked to plant-based renewable materials.
This all goes hand in hand with a more conscious approach to food safety and product transparency. As well as the impact of a product, consumers want to know more about what goes in them, where they were produced and how safe they are. Another Connected Pack solution, PAC.TRUST delivers 100% traceability for every single SIG pack, using unique pack serialisation and robust back end technologies to secure visibility at every stage of the product journey.
Time to innovate
With all these consumer trends and behaviours set to play out, it’s now up to brands and producers to respond with more product innovation. Look out for part three in our series when we’ll look ahead to the product developments, innovations and launches we can expect in a post-pandemic world. And also how our solutions and services like combiLab can help you turn product ideas into success stories.
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- junio 23, 2020