The post-Covid consumer : Hedonistic or minimalist?

As the coronavirus crisis continues to send shockwaves across societies and economies, everyone is wondering what the future will look like. Whatever unfolds, it’s increasingly likely that there will be no return to the status quo.

Immediate responses to the pandemic have, understandably, been focused on the short-term, but in order to remain relevant, companies must also prepare for the future. For this reason, we have developed two scenarios that outline possible outcomes to help businesses get to grips with what lies ahead. These are built on fact-based, plausible assumptions about consumer behaviour, enabling brands to confront and respond to complexity, while avoiding uncertainty.

Bringing to life two opposing sets of social realities, the question is whether people will maintain and internalise crisis-time behaviours, or actively rebel against and reject them.

Whether society tends towards an extroverted consumer culture, or turns collectively inwards, the landscape will be very different.

Scenario One: Hedonism, extraversion and exploration

In this scenario, fun and entertainment are assigned the highest value. After weeks or months in isolation, consumers strive for experiences that make the best use of their time. Sustainability is less of a priority than the fulfilment of an individual’s needs and desires, and variety and diversity take the place of loyalty.

In the context of retail, this drive for self-realisation above all manifests in impatience with inefficient product availability. At the same time, hyper-fast delivery and the shopping experience are rewarded with euphoria, acting as a new seal of quality in both the digital and physical realms. Consumption is defined by enjoyment, joy and dynamic community affiliation. The experience economy grows exponentially, with people buying and gifting experiences that create long-lasting memories.