Retailers are called to make their offerings as life-enhancing rather than merely corrective as consumers quest for holistic health and wellness.
“Wellness and convenience are top global priorities for consumers. It’s time to embrace a future where accessible pharmaceuticals, health and beauty products and services, expert advice and care are not just options but essentials,” said WGSN, the world’s leading consumer trend forecaster.
In a sample report, WGSN Insight said retailers can tap into prescriptive produce and make space for mental health.
It said health food is becoming a key growth area for grocery retailers as governments and primary healthcare providers push retailers and brands to promote better eating habits.
“Focus on food retail to provide solutions and support customers at every stage of their health journey, from diagnostics to personalized meal plans, medical supplements and follow-up advice,” it added.
WGSN said food can be promoted as medicine.
It said that in the United States (US), United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, governments are recommending that people cut down on daily meat, dairy and sugar intake, and primary care physicians are increasingly prescribing fresh produce as part of their treatment plans.
In the US, over 48 million households have somebody whose diagnosis can be managed in part by diet, representing $270 million in annual grocery sales.
WGSN advised retailers to present themselves as a health partner, working with doctors and dieticians to educate consumers and support healthy eating strategies
They can also offer discounts for fresh food prescriptions, develop healthy meal kit subscriptions, fresh produce boxes, and personalized meal plans created by in-store nutritionists.
“Create an omnichannel experience and engage customers at home through apps, diagnostic devices and online support for nutritional meal planning and personal health monitoring,” it said. “Introduce lifestyle amenities that support the healthy food offer, such as juice bars and express medi-spas, turning the grocery retail space into a 360-degree wellness hub.”
Further, WGSN said they can also devote retail space and digital platforms to activities and gatherings that boost mental health, signaling it as a central pillar of your growth strategy.
Mental wellness is central to Gen Z’s view of their personal wealth and they are willing to pay to keep their mental health in check, it said, citing 56 percent of US Gen Z would pay out-of-pocket for a mental health membership.
“Health and wellness have become key purchase drivers for young consumers,” it added.
WGSN said that as they put purpose before product, retailers have an opportunity to build long-term trust and loyalty by recognizing the physical retail space’s potential to enhance the holistic health of shoppers.
