running and open-water swimming are both growing in
popularity. The boundaries between outdoor extreme sports
and indoor, gym-based activities are also blurring, as illustrated
by the growing popularity of indoor climbing walls.
P: “Work-Life Balance” is another growing trend for 2016.
Why do you think there’s a growing interest in finding
balance in both areas?
P: Leisure time is forever being squeezed, due to work,
commuting and family commitments and an “on-call” culture.
According to data from the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, Denmark and Spain enjoy the
highest amount of leisure time (16.1 hours), while Turkey and
Mexico devote only 13.4 hours and 13.9 hours to leisure,
respectively. Euromonitor International’s global Middle Class
Home survey found that the preferred activity outside the
home was shopping (50 percent). A decline in leisure time,
combined with a desire to communicate achievements via
social media, means that consumers are taking a greater
interest in experiences over possessions (e.g., music or food
festivals, yoga classes, sporting events).
P: Is there a specific consumer group that is primarily
driving the change in how businesses promote their brand
or operate their businesses?
P: Millennials—defined as consumers with ages 25 to 34 years
old—represent a sizable demographic, ranging from 11 percent
of the population in aging Japan, to 18 percent in more
youthful markets, such as Vietnam and South Africa, to 31
percent in extreme cases, such as the United Arab Emirates,
where there is a large group of workforce age expats present.
Millennials are a key target audience for a large number of
companies, due to their spending power and influence.
P: In terms of beauty and skin care, which trends in
these categories do you anticipate to gain momentum in
2016?
P: Skin care, the industry’s largest category, will continue to
embrace innovation inspired by Asia both in terms of product
benefits but also expansion of the beauty routine, which is
paramount to sustaining market growth. China is predicted to
lead in terms of absolute growth in skin care, followed by
Indonesia, which is set to join the top 10 global leading skincare markets by 2019. Saudi Arabia is expected to be the third
On Disease Prevention
and Well-being
E
uromonitor International’s Global
Consumer Trends survey revealed that
taking health supplements for disease
prevention and well-being is very common
among women respondents under the age of
30. Some key data include:
71%
Percentage of female respondents under the age of 30 who
say they take health supplements or vitamins.
However, in this age group, only 15 percent say
they take supplements daily.
67%
Percentage of females in the
younger segment (with ages 15
to 19) who say they take supplements, but only
12 percent in the younger segment take it daily.
70%
Percentage of women between
20 to 29 years old who say they
engage in stress-busting activities like
meditation and massage at least once a month.
12%
Percentage of Indian women
who say they do stress-busting
activities almost daily, while in contrast, 12
percent of Chinese women say they never do
stress-reducing activities.
largest contributor to absolute growth in premium beauty,
largely driven by premium fragrances and growing penetration
of premium skin care. With market saturation and the need to
re-invigorate brand equity in a highly competitive landscape,
brands need to boost their portfolios with products in highgrowth areas and niche and untapped product segments. This
has meant tapping into more personalized and customized
solutions, both regionally and in terms of product tailoring;
adopting cross-border trends and concepts, as well as increased
digital efforts to reach out to new connected consumers. n
January/February 2016
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