20CENT Mood takes a peak at 2019
At the beginning of every year, many look for a crystal ball, a medium, a cup of coffee or any other mambo jumbo item to try and guess what’s coming next. Retail is no different, and many prophets or armchair experts have announced what kind of trends will lend on our plates in 2019. So I decided to take a shot myself and give you a few predictions.
I should be not too far from the truth
Well based on my notes and experiences from last year, and after reading a few predictions for 2019, I suspect we can be expecting the next following trends:
- Even more sustainability and more meaning: consumers will continue to search for more local products offering more transparency about their production methods. Consumers will want to relate to the products and relate better when it’s coming from a company or startup not (too) far from their homes.
- Health, healthy, healthier, don’t exaggerate: health claims will be sought by consumers but also scrutinized even more. Consumers will pay attention to their meat consumption, the sugar they take, and fats, and alcohol… and any other ingredients they can point fingers at. However if you ask my opinion, everyone should just learn to take things moderately and not exaggerate to become counter productive (eg sugar bashing etc).
- Reinforcement of vegan and vegetarian offers: more and more players, even major companies, will enter the market of meat replacements. This will continue to press the meat market in the negative spiral they already experience.
- More data: big data will continue its progress and all retailers who want to be successful will need to master it. Artificial intelligence will increase its footprint on the retail world.
- More digital: I suspect that phygital will be more implemented and classic ‘brick and mortars’ will welcome digital solutions. Including in Belgium where ecommerce and digital solutions are far behind our neighbors.
Well basically, in my views 2019 should be a year of reinforcements for many current trends. Of course, time will tell and at the end of this year, we might meet over coffee and praise or shoot down some of the above. But don’t forget, nobody expects the unexpected.
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20cent Mood 2019 TrendsTrend