Consumers Seeking 'Deeper Values Experience: Study
HARLEYSVILLE, Pa. - The retail and brand "new luxury" explosion that made consumers expect an extremely high level of experience at every touch point is now evolving beyond the physical and emotional dimensions to the experience of fundamental core values, according to a study released by the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) here a provider of strategic consulting, consumer insights, and market research services for the health, wellness, and sustainability marketplace.
"Consumers are aspiring to achieve the double pay-off of exclusive experiences while supporting guilt-free and eco-friendly goods and services," said Gwynne Rogers NMI's LOHAS business director, citing World Tourism Organization data that finds luxury eco-tourism the fastest growing market in the tourism industry.
"Locally grown and sustainable foods are sought for their ethical appeal as well as their premium quality as consumers embrace the cradle-to-cradle' concept," said Rogers, adding that the trend is evident in consumer shopping and purchasing patterns which finds shopping at natural food supermarkets up 20 percent from 2001.
Further, NMI said the influence of the "USDA Certified Organic" seal on foods has increased 22 percent since 2004 and is now at least slightly influential to more than four out of ten consumers. The percentage of primary grocery shoppers who agree that organic foods/beverages are worth paying an extra 20 percent for increased from 17 percent in 2002 to 26 percent in 2006. With this increase in values-driven experiential shopping, NMI projects that sales of organic products could reach $24 billion in 2011.
NMI's Top Ten Trends of 2007 are based on data and insight from a variety of NMI proprietary databases, including the Health & Wellness Trends Database and the LOHAS Consumer Trends Database. For more information, visit www.NMIsolutions.com.
"Consumers are aspiring to achieve the double pay-off of exclusive experiences while supporting guilt-free and eco-friendly goods and services," said Gwynne Rogers NMI's LOHAS business director, citing World Tourism Organization data that finds luxury eco-tourism the fastest growing market in the tourism industry.
"Locally grown and sustainable foods are sought for their ethical appeal as well as their premium quality as consumers embrace the cradle-to-cradle' concept," said Rogers, adding that the trend is evident in consumer shopping and purchasing patterns which finds shopping at natural food supermarkets up 20 percent from 2001.
Further, NMI said the influence of the "USDA Certified Organic" seal on foods has increased 22 percent since 2004 and is now at least slightly influential to more than four out of ten consumers. The percentage of primary grocery shoppers who agree that organic foods/beverages are worth paying an extra 20 percent for increased from 17 percent in 2002 to 26 percent in 2006. With this increase in values-driven experiential shopping, NMI projects that sales of organic products could reach $24 billion in 2011.
NMI's Top Ten Trends of 2007 are based on data and insight from a variety of NMI proprietary databases, including the Health & Wellness Trends Database and the LOHAS Consumer Trends Database. For more information, visit www.NMIsolutions.com.