TRENDS FOR 2021 AND WHAT THEY MEAN FOR RETAIL AND POS

TREND 5: HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Health has never been more at the forefront of people’s minds.

  • Hygiene factors have been amplified with additional cleaning, sanatisation, face masks and social distancing becoming more ‘normal’

  • Many of these new habits will be here to stay and shoppers will expect high cleanliness standards to remain

  • Contactless technology will continue to be important – trend spotters are looking to Asia which is embarking on facial and fingerprint scanning on entering a store to auto-checkout your purchases

  • With less commuting, many have used additional time for more exercise and home cooking – brands and retailers that have tapped into these trends and helped shoppers through the pandemic with free online initiatives are likely to be rewarded

  • As many strive to maintain a better work-life balance in the future to improve mental and physical health, shoppers will look to brands who emulate their values

TAKE OUT FOR POS:

Maintain clear communication about health and safety in store environments, head offices and warehouses. Communicate authentically about wellbeing initiatives – shoppers are looking for genuine brands . Stay ahead of best practice to determine what technology could improve the shopper experience in the future.

Joy Powell