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Rediscovering health: Consumers in Asia Pacific are looking to boost their immune system through functional products
Safe and secure: Risk averse consumers want reassurance over product safety
The implications of COVID-19 have been long-lasting and wide ranging, resulting in consumers questioning aspects of their lifestyle that they may previously have taken for granted. For instance, consumers are more conscious than ever about the spread of germs, viruses, and disease. They are also questioning if aspects of their lives may make them more vulnerable to illness, something that will have been exacerbated by media stories on issues claiming that imported food could potentially be a way in which COVID-19 is spread.
As a result, consumers want more information than ever before on the products they purchase. Consumers are seeking information on the origin of products, how they have been formulated, and how they have been distributed. They also want reassurance over the safety of packaging. This is driving demand for localised products, as well as artisan products that are associated with maximum quality. Consumers can also demonstrate distrust for products from certain countries that they associate with poorer hygiene practices. This means that, more so than ever before, brands must provide information to consumers on the story behind the products they purchase.
53%
of Asia-Pacific consumers say that they have been more attentive to the country of origin of products in the last twelve months (2021)
64%
of Asia-Pacific consumers say that they have changed their attitudes towards packaging in the last twelve months (2021)
Source: COVID-19 survey, Q1 2021 (9,000 respondents)
61%
of Asia-Pacific consumers say that they are now more attentive to locality claims when buying products (2021)
52%
of Asia-Pacific consumers say that they now want more reassurance about the safe handling of products (2021)
Although the state of the economy in Asia Pacific (at the time of writing) is arguably in a stronger position than in western societies, it doesn’t mean consumers have not been impacted financially by the virus. Nor does it mean that they are not demonstrating pessimism over the economic outlook. Consumers are becoming more value conscious and are shopping around to get the best possible deal for their money. Therefore, it is crucial that brands are deemed to be transparent, responsive, and empathetic to the need states of consumers.
It must be stated that despite a fall in confidence over finance, consumers in Asia Pacific are not simply searching for the cheapest priced products possible. In some instances, they will still be willing to trade-up. Instead, consumers are adopting a form of hi/low consumerism where they look to save money on certain product categories to justify spending more elsewhere. The willingness to trade-up on products will be based on how reassured consumers feel about the safety and value of the product.
50%
of Asia-Pacific consumers say they are now more conscious about other shoppers handling products in-store (2021)
47%
of Asia-Pacific consumers say that they are now trying to save money on their food and drink bills over fear of a recession (2021)
73%
of Asia-Pacific consumers say that they are now more willing to shop online compared to twelve months earlier (2021)
11%
of Asia-Pacific consumers say that they are switching between retailers in order to save money (2021)
Source: COVID-19 survey, Q1 2021 (9,000 respondents)
