New year, new habits, new trends – January is a time for renewal.
Trends are born slowly, and while nothing will change overnight, these are a few things on the rise that we may see more of now that we’ve hit the mid-2020s.
Due to a rising interest in healthy living, workers increasingly returning to offices and fluctuating inflation levels, stores and brands should be prepared for these trends in 2025.
Sober-Curiosity
It is no secret that the pandemic changed many people’s relationship with alcohol.
On top of this, Gen Z lost early drinking and experimental days, so as a result drinking has become less of a maturity signifier or social requirement than it once was.
What has been interesting is that experts have noticed an increased interest in moderation rather than the elimination of alcohol altogether.
Sober-curiosity will not see an abandonment of drinks, but rather an expansion of the category into no- or low-alcoholic (nolo) alternatives.
Pub culture and socialising with a drink are still big, and consumers may choose to alternate alcoholic drinks with nolo offerings.
This offers ripe opportunity for drinks companies to experiment with new products, giving shoppers a new beverage to unwind with in the evening.
While previously having a soft drink was enough, now there is more demand for nolo alternatives that taste nice and give the nighttime drink feel more than a soft drink could.
This trend will only get stronger in 2025, so quality nolo drinks will be in high demand, especially moving into the summertime.
Deals Deals Deals
Following exceptionally high inflation in 2023, last year saw an evening out of prices and even led to December claiming the highest-grocery spend month in Ireland since March 2020, according to Kantar.
However, this spend-happy demographic might soon return to spendthrift.
In the UK, retailers have been preparing for higher social security charges to be implemented by the new Labour government in April.
This, along with already high input costs and an increase in minimum wage could cause inflation to rise.
In Ireland, inflation rose to 1.4% in December – double the September/October 2024 figure.
What this means is that customers will be looking for promotions and deals, as price overtakes other factors.
Promotions have been key for shoppers for some months – and if inflation rises again, expect this trend to rise with it.
Fresh Food
Where the trends of cost-saving and healthy living meet: fresh food.
While restaurants continue to struggle with high costs and shoppers become more interested in their health, there will be an increased interest in cooking fresh food, especially local produce or products available on promotion.
Social media and the internet remain a treasure trove for recipes, and customers will be looking to experiment more and expand their cooking repertoire.
Butchers and fishmongers should expect more conversations and questions, while customer engagements such as Aldi’s back-to-school recipes or Tesco’s 52 Little Helps will pique interest in retailers and their products.
The trick for retailers will be finding ways to keep produce affordable and enticing to customers – promotional deals and health marketing, anyone?
Healthy Snacks And Food-To-Go Options
Last year, along with price and health, consumers were concerned about convenience.
While convenient options seem to contradict the rise of fresh food, retailers should note the impact of workers returning to the office.
Companies are increasingly calling for workers to return to the office most days of the week, and as this trend continues, workers will treat themselves to convenient snacks and food-to-go offerings.
Healthy options will also be key – due to the rising interest in wellness – and will require strong offerings from retailers to promote loyalty.
As workers return to daily commutes and office culture, convenient and healthy food options will be top priority for stores during the week.
New Technology
Stores will be on the lookout for new and innovative technology to streamline stocktaking, customer assistance and organisation.
The British Chamber of Commerce noted that – as businesses in the UK prepare for increased costs in April – companies will be looking for tech solutions as an investment in future profits.
From electronic shelf labels to AI and robotic tools, tech solutions aim to improve efficiency, prevent crime and leave space for staff to ensure a positive store experience.
While new tech can be daunting, 2025 will likely see big retailers beginning to embrace technological solutions, starting in warehouses and building up to stores.
Loyalty Benefits
Customers want their loyalty rewarded, particularly as we move into a possible period of increasing inflation.
Large stores have implemented loyalty programmes to build a personal connection with shoppers and reward them for choosing the same stores again and again.
Tesco’s Clubcard has been found to offer members genuine savings, with retailers such as SuperValu and Lidl following suit with their own loyalty programmes.
Offering loyal customers discounts, coupons, and spending vouchers will be key this year, as shoppers seek the programme that suits them.
Following a turbulent few years in the retail sector, shoppers are becoming more mindful and savvy with their spending, so it is important for retailers to meet them where they’re at and nurture that relationship.
There are a lot of options out there – customers will appreciate their loyalty being reciprocated.
Who Knows?
In an industry as dynamic as retailing, stores and brands are constantly seeking to adapt and meet customer needs.
While nothing is certain, recent behaviours and attitudes indicate that these trends will be of note this year, but anything can happen.
The best thing to take into 2025 is an open mind – shoppers are not secretive about what they want, all they want is for someone to listen.
Read More: The Sober Generation: Why Are Gen Z Drinking Less?
