news extra Consciousness, connectivity and creativity


Insights from the 2022 International Housewares Association (IHA) Market Watch report were shared in a keynote session at The Inspired Home Show 2022 in Chicago, with consciousness, connectivity and creativity identified as top of mind for today’s consumers.


we feel,” said Salamah. Respondents ranked nutrition (57%), cardiovascular fitness (49%) and energy (48%) as the most important factors. Social responsibility is also important


to today’s consumer. Safe and healthy working environments for employees (84%) ranked highest, followed by development of sustainable products (72%) and diversity and inclusion (67%).


While many companies promote what L


eana Salamah, IHA vice president, marketing was joined by fellow Market Watch authors Tom Mirabile, principal of


Springboard Futures, and Joe Derochowski, vice president and home industry advisor for The NPD Group. Peter Giannetti, editor- in-chief of HomePage News, moderated the discussion.


Consciousness


Conscious consumers are deliberate, considered purchasers who are constantly evaluating why this product, why this brand and why now. They are highly attuned to issues including health and wellness, social responsibility and reclaiming time/effort. While wellness can mean many different things to different people, survey respondents actually ranked mental wellness as most important (77%) and physical wellness next (73%). This emphasis on mental wellness is unique right now, and therefore a huge opportunity for the housewares industry, noted Derochowski. When it comes to physical wellness, “It’s less about weight management or how we present ourselves to the world, but more about how


Creativity Creative consumers are excitable and passionate about variety, flexibility and learning. They are highly attuned to experimentation, fluidity, reinvention of home and self and the acquisition of new skills. The survey found that consumers have a strong desire to change many aspects of their homes…much more than they currently act on. Accessorising or giving people the ability


to make incremental changes or updates to their homes is one way to do just that, said Salamah. Another way to allow consumers to try new things without buying each new product outright is rental. While older generations expressed less interest,


they’re doing for employee work environments in business-to-business marketing, there is a significant opportunity for brands to leverage this in their consumer marketing, said Salamah.


In addition, the conscious consumer is


interested in reclaiming time and focusing their energies on what they love. When making purchase decisions, they are most interested in ease of use (92%), speed (83%) and more control (78%).


Millennials said they were very interested in renting products, with bakeware, seasonal home décor and kitchen electrics on the top of their lists. Rental, or more industry-generated options to purchase refurbished or second- hand products, might gain steam in the future especially as technology changes so quickly, making it more difficult to pay full-price every time, said Derochowski.


Connectivity


Connected consumers like to bring people, products/functions and brands together and see results. They are highly attuned to interpersonal relations, ingenuity/cleverness and sociability/shareability. The Market Watch authors agreed smart home hasn’t taken off the way many thought it would have by now, in part due to quickly changing technology and in part because some smart products have technology just for the sake of it…and are not necessarily solving a consumer pain point. According to IHA’s survey, consumers are most looking for smart products to help them with automatic cleaning, coordinating meal elements, detecting and suggesting recipes, detecting expired or empty products, detecting and ordering parts and identifying calorie counts and macros.


ICYMI


• Made.com acquired Trouva, a platform for independent boutiques and brands offering customers a curated range of homewares, lifestyle and fashion products.


• A number of Housewares and interiors products took home awards at the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2022.


• Jonathan Ferguson was crowned 38th Roux Scholar, beating five other finalists in a final cook-off held at Westminster Kingsway College, London, on Monday 11 April 2022.


• ProCook was ranked among the UK’s Best Workplaces 2022 by Great Place to Work, the global authority on workplace culture. The accolade was awarded following the results of an in-depth employee survey.


• A new Jubilee collection of housewares and gifts by designer Victoria Eggs was inspired by the dress HRH Queen Elizabeth II wore at her coronation 70 years ago.


• Tower (from RKW) introduced a new brand, Natural Life, featuring eco-friendly cleaning products, which aims to help consumers lead a more sustainable life. 2% of profits from each sale will go to WeForest to drive the restoration of forests.


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