Attitudes Towards Health - Stress - UK -
Stressed Consumers – What Might They Buy?
Key
points
●
Improving
one’s appearance is a key way to improve mood and fashion and beauty markets
are expected to enjoy continued value sales growth despite the recession.
●
Almost
one in five adults who get stressed will comfort eat. Food treats (both healthy
and unhealthy) are benefiting with speciality foods and chocolate confectionery
being particularly popular.
●
An
estimated ten million adults use alcohol to unwind and wine is more likely than
other alcoholic drinks to benefit from this trend. Wine has increased its share
of total alcohol sales between 2007 and 2009.
●
Getting
out of the house and away from stress triggers such as chores, bills and family
members is spurring people to book holidays or escape to the cinema, golf
course or salon.
FMCG WITH THE FEELGOOD FACTOR
FIGURE 13:
Selected markets estimated to have enjoyed growth in value sales in 2009
|
% change 2008-09
|
|
|
Fashion online
|
+23.1
|
Ethnic cosmetics
|
+17.0
|
Beauty supplements
|
+9.5
|
Value clothing
|
+8.3
|
Cosmetic surgery
|
+7.6
|
Cosmeceuticals
|
+7.3
|
Facial skincare
|
+6.7
|
Chocolate confectionery
|
+6.6
|
Nuts, seeds and dried fruit
|
+6.0
|
Frozen desserts
|
+5.9
|
Cold and flu
|
+5.8
|
Hair colourants and home perms
|
+5.7
|
Ambient desserts
|
+5.5
|
Make-up
|
+5.3
|
SOURCE:
Mintel
Improving
appearance to boost mood
●
Just one in seven people who are worried by
something cite their appearance as a trigger for being worried or concerned
(see Causes of Tension or Worry section). Despite this, improving appearance is
a strong motivator in helping to improve mood and fashion and beauty sectors
are expected to enjoy continued value sales growth despite the recession.
●
Buying clothes is a key pick-me-up that
doesn’t have to be expensive, but can nonetheless offer some brief escapism
from feeling down. The promise of a new image, improved self-confidence and
attractiveness will be key drivers for buying new clothes during tough times.
Furthermore, one in ten people buying smarter clothes for work have done so in
order to improve their prospects at work – something that can also help to keep
stress about losing one’s job at bay.
●
According to Mintel’s market re-forecasts,
the market for online fashion is expected to enjoy growth in the region of 23%
between 2008 and 2009. Being able to find unique outfits and shop around for
the best deal enhances the attractiveness of online fashion. Value clothing is
estimated to enjoy growth in excess of 8% during this time as people look for
cheap fashion treats.
●
Beauty markets such as cosmetic surgery,
cosmeceuticals, facial skincare and hair colourants are all set to see growth
of 6% or more between 2008 and 2009. In keeping with the ‘lipstick indicator’
theory (ie sales of cosmetics always rise during recessions), make-up is also
expected to have enjoyed a rise in value sales to the tune of 5% during the
recession.
Whining to beat
the blues
●
An estimated ten million adults drink
alcohol in response to stress. Wine has grown as a proportion of value sales of
alcoholic drinks, although overall volume sales of alcohol are expected to
decline as people are influenced by healthy living initiatives.
●
Wine is likely to perform better than other
alcoholic drinks during the recession, owing to its association of enjoying a
glass of wine at home to unwind. Other alcoholic drinks such as beer or spirits
may be more closely associated with watching sport or going out.
●
In addition, wine is a more sociable drink
and may be included in socialising with friends and family (see Distractions
From Worries section). It also might be incorporated into time spent with a
partner.
Comfort in food
●
Almost one in five adults who gets stressed
will comfort eat. This compares to one in 17 who are not stressed.
●
‘Treat’
foods are set to enjoy strong growth in 2009 (see Mintel’s report Market Re-forecasts – Food and Drink – UK,
March 2009).
●
Comfort foods such as chocolate, cream,
appetisers and dips as well as desserts (ambient) are also set to enjoy growth
of 5-7% between 2008 and 2009 as people turn to little treats to boost their
mood or make up for the fact that they might not be able to afford to go out as
much as before the recession hit. Almost a quarter of adults who have been
stressed about something admit to buying indulgent snacks and treats to make
themselves feel better (see What Makes People Feel Better When Worried?
section).
●
The fact that 11% of those who get stressed
attempt to eat healthily and 14% buy healthy foods is set to buoy the market
for nuts, seeds and dried fruit, which is expected to achieve value sales
growth in the region of 6% in 2009.
Washing away
worries
●
Exclusive consumer research conducted for
Mintel’s Soap, Bath and Shower Products –
UK, November 2008 highlights that although running a bath is declining in
popularity, more than half of adults will go for a soak in the tub to unwind
and relax.
●
Bubble baths have been declining in
popularity and this ties into the trend away from baths towards showers that
also has the added benefit of saving water and reducing water bills,
particularly during the recession when people are looking for small ways to
save money. According to Mintel’s report Market
Re-forecasts – Beauty and Personal Care – UK, March 2009, bath additives
are expected to see value sales slide from £149 million to £143 million between
2008 and 2009.
●
Almost one in five adults will buy home
pampering products such as a bubble bath to make themselves feel better (see
What Makes People Feel Better When Worried? section). However, this is unlikely
to reverse the fortunes of the ailing bath additive sector, but could offer an
angle for marketing campaigns, product names, ingredients and packaging.
The great escape
●
The best way for consumers to escape stress
is to get out of the house. Almost four in ten adults use holidays as a means
of escape and a quarter will do “something that offers a brief escape” such as
going to the salon or cinema.
●
However, although there may be a tendency
for some to ‘cocoon’ at home, it may also be where people are more likely to
indulge in unhealthy comforts such as smoking or snacking in response to the
stress that they are under. According to Mintel’s Taking Care of Yourself – Summer Edition – UK, August 2009, the
home is a ‘temple of temptation’ with more than six in ten adults agreeing it
is the place where they are most tempted to break their resolve to live
healthily.
●
The home is also alive with stress triggers
such as bills, chores, unfinished DIY and even other family members. With the
rise of ‘boomerang’ and ‘3G’ households, these factors can be expected to
strengthen. The freedom of getting out of the house is likely to see its appeal
grow.
Also Read Issues in Health Stress. Contact Mahasagar Publications for Dissertations and Thesis.