Macrotrends reveal how consumers are responding to the global drivers of change and represent the value shifts defined according to emerging attitudes and behaviour among people globally. These shifts are supported by consumer-facing innovations, products, services, experiences and communications that address a need.
At The Future Laboratory we define macrotrends by using intuition, our experience and data. We use four stages of research to identify and qualify a macrotrend – inspiration, validation, interrogation and finally the strategic implications of the trend for businesses and brands.
Every year we publish over eight global macrotrends exclusively for members of our trends intelligence hub, LS:N Global.
Find out more about our macrotrend services below, or please click the link to book a meeting with our team.
Is your brand profiting from understanding the key forces of change defining the future?
Whether you’re a business leader looking to validate your strategic initiatives, or a team leader who is keen to course-correct for the coming year, understanding the key social, cultural, technological, environmental and societal drivers will be crucial to your survival and future business wellbeing.
Learn more about our Global Drivers Sprint Service below.
With hybrid working becoming the new normal, global retail footfall in decline, and the evanescence of third spaces, there truly is no place like home for brands
Our Home States Futures : Residential Retail macrotrend will highlight a new approach to viewing the home as an active and concentrated retail and lifestyle eco-system. It will become a hub that brands must target, woo and win over in precise and interconnected ways.
The macrotrend report is now available exclusively on LS:N Global. Members can access the macrotrend for free here.
The Future Laboratory has been identifying and tracking macrotrends for two decades. As The Transformative Twenties begin, we have mapped out how all these trends have evolved.
Presenting the trends as a timeline from the year 2000 to 2030, users can learn how Experience, Brand and Consumer behaviours have changed – and what this means for the future.
Featuring trend summaries, expert quotes and links to full trends on LS:N Global, visitors can navigate through a visually driven and chronological view of industry shifts and evolving human behaviour.
Use our bespoke Trend Tracker to discover 20 years of macrotrends.
Our global clientele is made up of owners and employees from over 350 leading brands who use our macrotrends on a daily basis to future-proof their business.
For those of you wondering what macrotrends are going to have the biggest impact on your business over the coming years, our Strategy team are here to help.
The Future Laboratory’s Strategy department works directly with global brands and businesses to turn our LS:N Global foresight into a strategic decision-making tool that aligns clients’ current business objectives with these future scenarios.
The aim: to equip clients with the cultural insights, strategic implications and solutions that enable them to navigate change, unlock opportunity and thrive in a world of continuous uncertainty.
Find out how you can use our Strategic Services to future-proof your business strategy.
Book one of our world-class speakers to deliver an in-house or virtual presentation or workshop for your business.
Discover each of our macrotrend presentations below – or book them together as a presentation collection
With hybrid working becoming the new normal, global retail footfall in decline, and the evanescence of third spaces, there truly is no place like home for brands.
Our Home States Futures macrotrend will highlight a new approach to viewing the home as an active and concentrated retail and lifestyle eco-system. It will become a hub that brands must target, woo and win over in precise and interconnected ways. To conquer this home-centric market, brands may appoint chief household officers and businesses will need to coordinate conversations, find synergies and create clear cross-selling strategies.
The past two years have spurred seismic transformation in the workplace as a newly empowered generation of workers question how, where and why they work.
This presentation investigates the emergence of a new state-focused future of work, explore the spaces – both physical and virtual – being built in response, and what this means for your business.
It’s time to better understand the paradigm shift that the pandemic era has had on the future of work and what this means for consumers, brands and businesses.
Despite current doom-and-gloom scenarios we are about to be catapulted into a 20-year cycle of unrivalled innovation and new market opportunities. But people will be very wary, so it’s time for brands, businesses and Neo-collectivist communities to rebuild a society where the four 4Ls - legitimacy, leadership, longevity and legacy – matter.
This presentation explores how brands are stepping up to realise this future, counter-pushing doomsayers, short-termism, indifference and helplessness to re-establish common ground and embark on a journey of radical progression.
With hybrid working becoming the new normal, global retail footfall in decline, and the evanescence of third spaces, there truly is no place like home for brands.
Our Home States Futures macrotrend will highlight a new approach to viewing the home as an active and concentrated retail and lifestyle eco-system. It will become a hub that brands must target, woo and win over in precise and interconnected ways. To conquer this home-centric market, brands may appoint chief household officers and businesses will need to coordinate conversations, find synergies and create clear cross-selling strategies.
The past two years have spurred seismic transformation in the workplace as a newly empowered generation of workers question how, where and why they work.
This presentation investigates the emergence of a new state-focused future of work, explore the spaces – both physical and virtual – being built in response, and what this means for your business.
It’s time to better understand the paradigm shift that the pandemic era has had on the future of work and what this means for consumers, brands and businesses.
Despite current doom-and-gloom scenarios we are about to be catapulted into a 20-year cycle of unrivalled innovation and new market opportunities. But people will be very wary, so it’s time for brands, businesses and Neo-collectivist communities to rebuild a society where the four 4Ls - legitimacy, leadership, longevity and legacy – matter.
This presentation explores how brands are stepping up to realise this future, counter-pushing doomsayers, short-termism, indifference and helplessness to re-establish common ground and embark on a journey of radical progression.
Get in touch with our specialists if you are interested in discussing the research or if you have a press enquiry. Speak to our experts
Martin is editor-in-chief of Viewpoint magazine as well as LS:N Global, the online lifestyle news and consumer insight portal. Having written several books on trend forecasting, including The Trend Forecaster’s Handbook and The Tomorrow People, Martin contributes regularly as an expert on trends and business for the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV.
Christopher Sanderson is co-founder of The Future Laboratory, where he is responsible for delivering the company’s extensive global roster of conferences, media events and LS:N Global Trend Briefings, which he co-presents with the team in London, New York, Sydney, Melbourne, Stockholm and Helsinki. Clients who have booked one of his inspirational keynotes include Gucci Group, the European Travel Commission, Retail Week, Selfridges, M&S, Chanel, Harrods, Aldo and H&M.
Fiona is a trends and insight consultant who delivers innovative strategic insight and creative content. Having spent 20 years working in leading forecasting and insight agencies and as a journalist, Fiona draws on considerable cross-sector expertise, ranging from consumer lifestyle, media and marketing and digital commerce to fashion, beauty and technology. Fiona brings valuable insight, clarity and direction to our LS:N Global team.
Olivia joined The Future Laboratory in early 2018 and is responsible for leading the creative development of LS:N Global. As Deputy Creative Foresight Editor, she ensures the platform’s written and visual content sets new standards for the digital communication. Olivia is also known as The Future Laboratory’s go-to expert for consumer trends in Beauty, Health & Wellness.
Savannah leads the research and design for food and drink and retail content for the LS:N Global. With a background in creative strategy, anthropology and graphic design, Savannah curates and contributes to the visual narrative of LS:N Global, alongside leading visual research for a number of annual macrotrends and sector reports. Savannah is a regular contributor to LS:N Global’s daily news and weekly articles, as well as being the team’s regional expert for Africa.
Martin is editor-in-chief of Viewpoint magazine as well as LS:N Global, the online lifestyle news and consumer insight portal. Having written several books on trend forecasting, including The Trend Forecaster’s Handbook and The Tomorrow People, Martin contributes regularly as an expert on trends and business for the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV.
Fiona is a trends and insight consultant who delivers innovative strategic insight and creative content. Having spent 20 years working in leading forecasting and insight agencies and as a journalist, Fiona draws on considerable cross-sector expertise, ranging from consumer lifestyle, media and marketing and digital commerce to fashion, beauty and technology. Fiona brings valuable insight, clarity and direction to our LS:N Global team.
Christopher Sanderson is co-founder of The Future Laboratory, where he is responsible for delivering the company’s extensive global roster of conferences, media events and LS:N Global Trend Briefings, which he co-presents with the team in London, New York, Sydney, Melbourne, Stockholm and Helsinki. Clients who have booked one of his inspirational keynotes include Gucci Group, the European Travel Commission, Retail Week, Selfridges, M&S, Chanel, Harrods, Aldo and H&M.
Olivia joined The Future Laboratory in early 2018 and is responsible for leading the creative development of LS:N Global. As Deputy Creative Foresight Editor, she ensures the platform’s written and visual content sets new standards for the digital communication. Olivia is also known as The Future Laboratory’s go-to expert for consumer trends in Beauty, Health & Wellness.
Savannah leads the research and design for food and drink and retail content for the LS:N Global. With a background in creative strategy, anthropology and graphic design, Savannah curates and contributes to the visual narrative of LS:N Global, alongside leading visual research for a number of annual macrotrends and sector reports. Savannah is a regular contributor to LS:N Global’s daily news and weekly articles, as well as being the team’s regional expert for Africa.