Euromonitor Podcasts

Digital shopping trends are accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic, including contactless payment, virtual brand engagement, curbside delivery, and checkout free experiences. All of these trends may have been prevalent before COVID-19, but the pandemic has forced retailers to move quickly into a new digital era. Experiences and trends that add an element of convenience to retailing are the ones...

Scandinavian style combines minimalism, elegance and edginess as the aesthetic. Not only are Scandinavian products stylish, but they also focus on ethical fashion, including the responsible use of resources and an emphasis on social issues. A significant amount of new, small players enter the market in Scandinavia each year, bringing innovation and new trends with them. For instance, watch company...

Although the coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed the way consumers live, work, shop and play, that doesn’t mean companies should stop focusing on innovation. Rather, FMCG industries should identify what they do well, examine their core brands and work to adapt them into new packaging demands, new formats and new growth channels. Consumers have adapted a new core set of values, including...

Hometainment means taking a service or product that is traditionally consumed outside the house and recreating it inside the house. As consumers spend more time inside their homes as a result of COVID-19, hometainment is becoming an increasing trend. Whether its watching a virtual concert inside a video game or purchasing a device that replicates the experience of going to a department store makeu...

With consumers in Southeast Asia in lockdown and working from home, it’s not surprising that there has been a clear shift away from more formal styles in fashion towards clothing and accessories that prioritise comfort. Athleisure, which was a strong trend pre-COVID, is only going to accelerate both during and after the pandemic. Countries where outdoor activities were allowed during lockdowns saw...

The coronavirus pandemic has raised awareness of wellbeing and self-care in Latin America, accelerating the already existing trend of preventative health. Since the outbreak, consumers have quickly turned to immune system and general health positioned products; and many regions in Latin America reported spikes in sales of vitamin C, multivitamins, paracetamol and aspirin. The increased messaging o...

COVID-19 has brought a new consciousness that goes far beyond compensating for a company's negative impact on people and the planet. Consumers are reassessing what they value the most, turning their backs on excess buying and demanding more from the companies they purchase from and work for. Businesses need to embed sustainability into their values, focus on diversity and inclusion and embrac...

There have been several trends in Turkey that emerged in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. First is the trend of consumers turning to discounters in retailing. Discounters are very prevalent in Turkey, and since the coronavirus outbreak, have increased their product ranges in dairy, snacks, carbonated drinks, home care and personal care. Another trend witnessed in the country is the performance...

In the Middle East, beauty and personal care brands that are focusing on resilient categories are the brands that are performing well. For example, Unilever Arabia heavily campaigned its Lifebouy soap brand in the past few months using the message of hygiene and hand washing during the pandemic. It also launched a series of hand sanitizers, which are in peak demand at the moment. In the long term,...

Since the global financial crisis of the late 2000s, the middle class of many emerging and developing markets - particularly in Asia - have enjoyed rising incomes. However, the coronavirus pandemic is hitting these economies hard, indefinitely halting the expansion of the middle class there. China, for example, will see spending in the middle class rise by a negligible 0.2% year on year in real te...

The fashion industry has always been characterised by several intermediaries between manufacturers and consumers. With a direct-to-consumer model, consumers pay a lower price by circumventing these intermediaries and paying for goods that are unbranded. Many manufacturers are using e-commerce to sell these goods, occupying a small area of the internet without much marketing. If branded goods compa...

COVID-19 is forcing more consumers to use e-commerce to do their grocery shopping, and the expectation is that this trend will continue well beyond the pandemic. Due to the recession, consumers will most likely cut costs in the restaurant space, and any shift away from consumer foodservice will naturally benefit grocery retailers as consumers eat more in their homes. Grocery stores will prioritize...

In this episode of Euromonitor International's Travel Leaders Podcast, Caroline Bremner, Industry Manager for Travel at Euromonitor talks to Fabrizio Orlando, Senior Manager Industry Relations – Global at TripAdvisor about the impact of COVID-19 on consumer behaviour and travel patterns. Hear how the recovery in travel is shaping up, what types of destinations and activities are increasing in...

The term “new normal” has been used to describe how economies, businesses and consumers will have to deal with the coronavirus pandemic going forward, but what does that mean? Economies are facing the worst recession since the great depression of the 1930s. For businesses, every sector, from hospitality to education to finance are facing huge challenges navigating through disrupted supply chains a...

With coronavirus and subsequent lockdowns stopping end-to-end operations in India, fashion players are facing tough times. Many companies are projected to scale down operations, since this is the only way many of them will survive. A reduced demand for fashion due to home seclusion and social distancing norms has further impacted fashion companies in the country.   However, consumers are now aware...

There has been an influx of new indie beauty and personal care brands in recent years, and at the same time consumer values are shifting towards meaningful consumption. These two trends have converged, with new players aiming to cater towards consumers who are seeking natural, ethical and vegan products. The demand for vegan products is being led by younger millennial and generation Z consumers, a...

There is a belief that in times of stress, people turn to cigarettes. Although consumers have had more alone time at home, there is no evidence in a significant consumption change. Instead, consumers are tightening their wallets; and tobacco users are turning toward economy cigarettes, cheaper forms of tobacco and in some cases illicit products. As consumers turn to goods and services that help wi...

Japan's population is ageing and is in decline. By 2030, nearly one-third of the population will be aged over 65, and the labor shortage in the country is causing price increases in consumer goods and services. With fear of an unstable future, consumers in Japan are becoming selective and cautious in their spending. To move forward in this challenging environment, companies are keen to create...

The wellness movement was on the cusp of a tipping point before the coronavirus pandemic hit, and as a result of the virus is set to surge. Wellness resonates with consumers at the moment, whether its medical health, mental health or consumption of healthy food and drinks. Moving forward, businesses should be aware that consumers will seek real and relevant solutions instead of overpriced gimmicks...

China accounted for almost 40 percent of manufacturing in 2019, and with coronavirus locking the country down, global supply chains and manufacturing have been impacted significantly. As the virus spreads, many manufacturers and suppliers continue to operate below normal capacity. In the long term, Euromonitor International expects a greater share of production moving from China to other Asian cou...

Mobile wallets and proximity payments are gaining significant ground in Eastern Europe. The are popular in such countries as Poland, Russia, Ukraine and Czech Republic, with millions of consumers routinely utilizing them. While Apple Pay leads the region, local players such as Poland's BLIK are also emerging. BLIK allows payments as well as peer-to-peer transfers and ATM withdrawals. However,...

In this episode of Euromonitor International’s Travel Leaders Podcast, we talk to Casey Hanisko, President of the Adventure Travel Trade Association about how the association is helping destinations and adventure tour operators navigate and rebuild after COVID-19. We discuss what the new normal will be in terms of consumer expectations and operational protocols. Finally, Casey shares her thoughts...

The coronavirus pandemic is hitting at a time when Millennials and Generation Z are reaching critical milestones in their lives. For Millennials, this is the second economic recession they've experienced after the global financial crisis in 2008. For Generation Z, COVID-19 will be the defining crisis of their generation as they finish their education and enter the workforce. Euromonitor Inter...

Since the 2008 financial crisis, the middle-class in many developed markets has struggled to return to pre-crisis economic levels. Many middle-class consumers are simply unprepared for the economic crisis that the coronavirus will bring. In fact, the overall savings ratio in developed markets is relatively low, at just around 11% of household disposable income, compared to nearly 30% in emerging a...

Overstocking, illicit trade and social unrest have been major challenges the apparel industry in Latin America over the past few years. These scenarios have changed the way consumers in the region shop, with e-commerce doubling its representation of retailing sales in general. In Latin America, online sales of apparel as a percent of total e-commerce sales went from 3% in 2010 to 10% in 2019. E-co...