Mintel Little Conversation

Mintel experts in food and drink discuss how COVID-19 has impacted innovation in the food and drink industry and what brands should be doing to progress in the next six months and beyond. Online shopping, eating at home more, interest in health benefits and sustainability are all behaviours that have changed due to COVID-19 and the experts predict whether this is short or long-term and what brands...

With the news of Clarisonic, a beauty device brand owned by L’Oreal, closing after a decade, Mintel experts in the beauty industry from across the globe discuss where it all went wrong and why beauty devices have not taken off as expected. They discuss how beauty devices have evolved and what it will take for these products to take hold and fulfil consumer’s wants and needs. Listen now to hear wha...

The global pandemic has created a sea change in the way consumers live their lives and brands are shuffling their messaging to connect with them. Mintel experts from across the globe discuss how COVID-19 has accelerated and shifted global consumer trends, such as more experiences, seamless spending, humanizing technology interactions, and going live on social media. They also provide recommendatio...

Mintel expert analysts in beauty and personal care sit down to discuss the top beauty ingredients in the North Asia Pacific that are grabbing consumer attention. From ingredients that are safe and hygienic to COVID-19’s impact on ingredient preferences, and needing scientific information on how products are beneficial, consumers in APAC are focused on making sure they are using the best ingredient...

The emerging trend across the globe in the credit industry, 'buy now, pay later,' is gripping consumer attention, especially Millennials. The idea itself isn’t anything new, but new brands have entered the space and different styles are being used, such as no interest or late fees that are attracting consumers. In this episode, Mintel experts in the financial services industry discuss this trend a...

In this episode, Mintel experts dive into the evolution of livestreaming. They discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has escalated livestreaming and how consumers are using it in different parts of the world. How can brands make the most of the opportunities a live platform brings? How will livestreaming impact social media influencers? What will livestreaming look like in the future? Mintel experts d...

Mintel experts take on the age-old debate of science vs. nature in the beauty and food and drink industries, as they discuss why consumers no longer blindly trust "natural" claims and are showing curiosity in scientific and synthetic solutions. They also share their favourite products or brands in the scientific/lab-grown space, such as barley facial cream developed to help with anti-ageing, growi...

As consumers look for ways to spend their time stuck at home during the pandemic, beauty routines have been a focus for some. From advancing their skincare routine to giving themselves a haircut due to closed salons, consumers have taken their beauty and personal care into their own hands. In this episode, our beauty experts in the UK discuss how consumer behaviours and purchases have changed due...

On this week’s episode, Mintel analysts sit down to discuss the current food and drink startup landscape. With the global pandemic creating major shifts in consumer behaviours and buying habits, is there still a focus on new experiences when it comes to food and drink or are consumers looking for familiarity and comfort - and how is that playing out across various food and drink sectors, the use o...

How we clean and care for our homes have taken on new meanings following the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially changing behaviours forever. In this episode, Mintel household analysts discuss the 2030 Global Household Care Trends - released at the start of 2020 - specifically looking at if and how the crisis is accelerating their predictions. And, while we have them, we ask their opinions on some inno...

The evolution of the brand-consumer relationship is gaining momentum. Brands ask a lot of consumers, who, increasingly, are demanding more in return. Following the death of George Floyd in May 2020, brands were compelled to make statements admonishing racism and supporting racial justice. However, consumers want more than words. In this episode, Mintel experts in the fields of consumer behaviour,...

You can’t talk about the future without considering the past. On this week’s episode, Mintel experts discuss the evolution of work and share predictions for what's coming next. How have issues like technology, automation, workers' rights, diversity, the gig economy, and later retirement ages changed everything about the way we work? Are brands keeping up with the pace of change in order to meet ev...

In this episode, Mintel experts from the retail, beauty, personal care, and lifestyle sectors discuss some of the trends taking shape while consumers follow stay-at-home mandates. More time at home often means more time for the things consumers have been putting off, whether that's learning a new skill or developing a more personalised skincare regime. What at-home activities are keeping consumers...

In this episode, our retail experts in the US and UK discuss the trend of frictionless retail, the idea of seamless, barrier-free shopping, in both the pre- and post-COVID-19 landscape. Some retailers have gone so far as to develop technology to help consumers completely avoid certain nuisances, for example during the checkout process, in order to create a more enjoyable shopping experience. But i...

Back by popular demand, the second annual Innovation Battle. Mintel food and drink analysts from around the world make their case as to why their favourite new food and drink product (launched in 2019) should win 'most innovative'. What do the innovation experts (with over 60 years of combined experience) think about nighttime ice cream, lower sugar yoghurt, and caffeinated sparkling water? Will p...

With news of large department store brand, Neiman Marcus, filing for bankruptcy, our expert retail analysts from across the globe discuss how department stores have been affected by online shopping and how COVID-19 has exasperated stores’ troubles. Do you remember the last time you went into a department store? Would you join a zoom call to have a virtual consultation with someone at the store? Li...

This is a podcast episode about podcasts. Our experts in consumer behaviour, multichannel marketing, and social media discuss why podcasts are so popular, shifts in short- and long-term engagement, and how the channel is evolving - from both the consumer and brand perspective. Podcasts have historically been a popular tool for personal development and entertainment, boasting loyal, captive audienc...

The focus of today's episode is the global food and drink industry - one hit particularly hard by COVID-19. Our experts focus their discussion on three ways food and drink companies and brands are adapting. With certain health conditions making some more susceptible than others to the coronavirus, consumers are looking for ways to boost immunity, presenting opportunities for brands to reinvigorate...

Following the news that Google and Apple are teaming up to develop a COVID-19 contact tracing app, Mintel experts in technology and consumer trends discuss what contact tracing is and what it means for consumers. With data privacy and security breaches top of mind for many, will consumers see value in participating or will they opt out? How will marketing, incentives, education, trust, and social...

In this episode, Mintel experts discuss the power the senses - specifically smell and taste - have on the human experience. As the world becomes more digital, how are food, drink, beauty, and personal care brands adapting their innovation and messaging strategies to engage the senses and elicit emotion? Certain scents or tastes can transport consumers to a different place or time and evoke a stron...

In today's episode, host Dana Macke and her guests - experts from the food and drink, lifestyle, grocery retail, and multicultural consumer sectors - take a stroll through the grocery store and discuss the reasoning behind the international food aisle. With increasing globalisation and the growing influence of diversity across consumer groups, is there a benefit to categorising all 'ethnic food' i...

In today's episode, Mintel analysts discuss changes in consumer behaviour and market shifts in China, the US, and Europe resulting from the global spread of COVID-19, as well as lessons learned from Asia. With safety and wellness quickly rising to the top of consumers' priority lists, what does the future hold for sustainability, new product development, and distribution innovation? Will industrie...

In this episode, we discuss trending diets with specialised nutritionist Rick Miller to glean his insights on the science behind certain food fads, why they are so popular, and whether or not they are a smart nutritional decision for consumers to make. Wondering if keto, intermittent fasting, or gut health supplements are the way to go? Maybe matcha tea or the werewolf diet are better suited? Find...

To kick-off season two, we're turning the spotlight on ourselves with a discussion about the business of insights. Joined by experts in data science, data analytics, research methodology, and consumer behaviour, host Andrew Davidson explores the evolution of consumer research (including the role that technology plays), and what the future holds. From the importance of cultivating a curiosity for h...

The much-anticipated release of Mintel Little Conversation season two is just around the corner. Interested to discover what consumer quarks we'll investigate next? Anxious to hear our experts' opinions on the staying-power of current trends? Are you dying to know what brands, products, and services are winning, which are losing, and what innovations are set to revolutionise consumerism as we know...