Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

U.S. consumers fuel themselves for the day with a variety of eating and drinking occasions from the time they awake in the morning until 11 a.m., according to a new study by The NPD Group. According to the study, 43% of these eating and drinking occasions consist of a beverage but no food, 24% a small/mini meal, 21% a full/complete meal, and 11% a snack. By developing versatile products and positioning products as both a meal and snack, companies can meet consumers’ varied morning meal needs.

According to a new survey from CouponCabin.com, four-in-ten (41%) of U.S. adults who do any clothing shopping report they only buy clothing on sale, while nearly one-quarter (23%) of U.S. adults said their shopping strategy involves doing whatever they can to save money. Forty-five percent said they are loyal to particular clothing stores, with 18% saying they are loyal to one or two stores in particular.

Locally-sourced products are quickly becoming more popular at grocery stores and restaurants alike, and in some cases, trumping organic options. Yet many consumers still aren’t eating the daily recommended amount of veggies. Educating consumers on how to prepare them, as well as reminding them that eating vegetables is a healthier way to get important vitamins than taking a pill, may increase product consumption.

Value and practicality are at the core of any shopping experience, but beyond the basics, shoppers are looking for self identification and novelty. Moreover, retail relevance factors vary significantly by age with the biggest difference between Gen Y and Boomers. For the next generation of shoppers, shareability of the experience is much more important, as the ideal shopping experience is both self-affirming and social.

Eight-in-ten Americans don’t believe companies are addressing all of their environmental impacts, and only 44% trust companies’ green claims. This skepticism may even affect sales. In fact, as many as 77% would be willing to boycott if misled, according to a new study conducted by Cone Communications.

According to a recent survey, 44% of women buy skincare or cosmetic products that promote their antioxidant content. American consumers have come to regard health and beauty care products as extensions of the foods they eat and the nutritional supplements they take. Thus, antioxidant products are expected to experience tremendous growth over the next ten years.