What changes in consumer consumption can be expected for 2022?

What changes in consumer consumption can be expected for 2022?

To talk about trends for 2022, we need to look at significant changes that affect people’s lives.

Therefore, we have gathered some relevant points for you to reflect on to understand the market and trends for 2022.

Consumption changes

We have experienced changes in several sectors due to the pandemic. It is not news to anyone that we have had major changes in our lives, both in our habits, how we work, how we study; everything was impacted and underwent changes.

For example, people who were used to commuting to their jobs, schools, colleges started to work and study at home, often sharing space and adapting as best they could to a home office environment.

Consumption patterns have changed, the way we interact, how we have fun, what we buy, how we buy; all of this has been impacted.

We naturally saw reductions in consumption in the luxury niche, such as entertainment, leisure, restaurants, and travel. The impact was enormous; consumers changed their consumption significantly, and what was once a priority was either no longer possible, or simply less important.

With most things now happening within the home, people were forced to use the internet more to communicate, shop, and entertain themselves. Everything has become digital, our work, classes, socialisation, etc. It was just the beginning of an enormous shift in consumer behaviour change.

Old x New Retail

With these unexpected behaviour changes, the retail sector had to adapt rapidly in response to the need for a consolidated digital presence, with this now being one of the primary sales methods. It was necessary to rethink the dynamics of the purchase and delivery service.

Without losing proximity to the customer, we saw the need for retailers to create logistics partnerships to enable more personalised delivery of value.

We also saw a new wave of start-ups emerging and growing, offering services to shorten the distribution process through shared economy, empowering consumers with collective purchases and creating cheaper shipping.

There was a massive demand on delivery drivers globally for everything from basics needs like food and clothing, to furniture, electronics, and even transport. They ran the world during the pandemic, and people got used to it.

Criteria

Of course, there is now a repressed demand because the consumer had stopped travelling, going to parties and enjoying events in general; i.e., reduced spending on luxury items. After all, while the world stayed at home, luxury purchases no longer made sense.

However, we can expect a more selective consumer in 2022, with more criteria within their decision-making. The pandemic has changed consumers’ approach to life; they are looking for purpose, not buy just to buy. Who didn’t question a wardrobe full of clothes that no longer had any utility?

WGSN, one of the most significant sources of consumer trends in the world, recently published a survey that highlights the importance of being properly connected and prepared for this new type of consumer, who have more criteria and requirements behind their purchases.

Time is short

At one point, all we had was time to reflect and reassess our priorities and find out what ultimately made us happy. We stayed in lockdown for so long without enjoying life outside the home that we had time to discover what was really important to us. For many, life is no longer about having more, but how can we live better.

Changes in our society directly impact how we sell, how we buy, why we buy, and how we live.

Significant changes make us question old ways of living, and now it’s time to look carefully at all these changes and apply all the knowledge that we have acquired during this period to our business processes.

Paying attention to the transformation in consumer attitudes allows us to take early action to prepare to meet the demands that will soon become a mass reality.

How are you going to make your product or service appeal to a new era of consumers, who now place great importance on the value that each purchase brings to their lives?

Looking ahead

We are all hoping for a better year in 2022, with a return to greater activity and increased consumer spending.

Retail Solutions can help you prepare for the challenges ahead with the latest in retail technology, to offer your customer every convenience and help you stay connected, keeping you one step ahead of your competitors.

Who are we?

Retail Solutions is a market-leading EPOS provider with over 25 years of business experience. Our leading sectors are convenience stores, supermarkets, forecourts, and pharmacies.

We are dedicated to providing your store with the most up-to-date and reliable point of sale hardware, along with software management tools to help you manage your business effectively.

To find out more about what we do, get in touch to chat with one of our knowledgeable consultants:

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About the author:

Juliane Camozzato is a Marketing Executive at Retail Solutions. You can follow her on LinkedIn!