A number of shifts are happening within consumer goods – these shifts are critical to address and bear in mind when looking to design ‘the next big consumer product’.  We’re shifting from ‘designed for cost and machines’ to ‘designed for circularity and life’. Consumer goods businesses tend to have some of the most complex supply chains, often with a global footprint, and traditionally designed to reduce cost and mass-production. Consumer brands are under increasing societal and legal pressure to integrate Life Cycle Assessments into products, communication, and bottom line profitability, and generally shift the focus to designing for circularity and life.
We’re shifting from ‘global and standard’ to ‘local and adaptable’. With our saving, shopping and buying habits having shifted dramatically based on shocks from Covid-19, Global inflation pressures and the increasing access to technology and more cost-effective options, the one-size-fits-all approach has become risky and fragile. Consumers are engaging in products and services that  fit their functional, emotional and economic needs in real-time. Consumer brands need to prioritize consumer closeness and local decision-making in key markets.  We’re shifting from ‘physical’ to ‘integrated hybrid experiences’. The experience economy “revolution” is not a single tsunami event but rather a constant tidal force with technology as the main enabler. Consumers today demand experiences that are simple, frictionless, personalized, and can cater to their preferences, platforms and timeline.