Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Home cooking will benefit next year from a growing desire by people to simplify their lives.
That is one of the predictions in a new report from Mintel, which sets out a series of key ways in which consumers will change their behaviour in 2009 as recession hits and insecurity kicks in.
It says that people will want to stay in control of their choices. They will therefore seek out products and services that give them exactly what they want, when they want it, and the Internet will be key.
People will also demand transparency from companies and look for simplicity. Traditional, money-saving pastimes such as cooking at home, sewing and gardening will become increasingly popular.
Consumers will also want to know all about the products they buy, where they were sourced and how they were manufactured, and because of this they will cling to the long-standing brands they know and love, says Mintel.
As purse strings tighten people will trade down, but also occasionally indulge in small luxuries, with the middle market being increasingly squeezed. And with people needing to have a bit of fun in tough times, small playful items will become more popular.
