Apparel April 2019 Apparel April 2019 issue | Page 60

FEATURE
Growth of the
Conscious Consumer
Janice Goveas speaks about conscious consumerism and its impact on
business and society.
The Indian consumer has been traditionally
difficult to please. We are a group of individuals
who have always been value-conscious, no
matter what the era—pre or post liberalisation.
What the world wanted, India wanted—Made for
India and well, cheaper, because we are Indians.
This made the perfect battlefield for the fast
fashion biggies of the world.
To add to the challenges that marketers face,
the country now continues to get younger, more
tech-savvy and health-conscious, with improved
education and displaying rapid growth as a
consumer base. The market is deeply tied to
mobility and connectivity. If India continues its
current high-growth path, incomes will almost
triple over the next two decades and the country
will become the world’s fifth largest consumer
market by 2025.
Interestingly, as the world turns towards
conscious consumerism, the Indian consumer
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April 2019
who is more connected globally than ever will
soon join the fray.
WHAT IS CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM?
Recognised as one of the top 10 global
consumer trends by Euromonitor International
for 2019, the conscious consumer is all about
consumers becoming more mindful in what they
buy, as they combat some of the negative effects
consumerism is having on the world. Animal
welfare is at the forefront of many consumers’
purchasing decisions as part of the key trend of
the conscious consumer.
The study also suggests that consumers
are rejecting the mass-produced and generic
and in 2019 will favour products positioned as
simplified, back to basics and of better quality,
with an implied level of status. While this new
consumer trend is true for developed economies,
developing regions in countries such as China,