With more than 3.5 million users, CodeCheck has insights on what conscious consumers are really longing for. CodeCheck’s findings help FMCG companies find the right driver for its growing group of potential customers. Also consumers have an impact on what they want in their products and what may not be on the list of ingredients. CodeCheck Insights found out what the trends are in 2020 and what conscious consumers are looking for.

From “free” to “clean”

Conscious consumers have a higher preference for clean and simple labels than specific ones free from claims. Plastic-free packaging? What if it wasn’t packaged at all?

The average satisfaction that conscious consumers give to products’ ingredients is 70%, however when a product has a clean label with few ingredients it gets 90% of satisfaction. The main pain point relies on the excess of chemical ingredients that affect both health and the environment. Due to this fact, new products are using an apothecary design where the ingredients have a primary role in packaging.

In terms of packaging, 63% of conscious consumers believe that implementing a zero-waste concept has a big impact in terms of being more sustainable, compared to 40% who believe that recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable packaging is the answer.

Comments: 

  • “Minimalism in terms of ingredients.”
  • “Freshness of ingredients; not chemical; less ingredients.”

Self- Care and well-being 

Search for “me time,” relaxation, and stress-free moments. Health and beauty starts from within. Health conscious consumers want to nourish their mind, body, and soul with extra benefits. They look to enhance and strengthen their inner self with long-term effects. Product promises such as “anti-pollution” or “detox” are more common and are receiving high approval from consumers. Ayurveda has become a trend and a well received practice among conscious consumers in both the food and cosmetics category (hair and skin care).

Specific ingredients like hemp or CBD will dominate the market in both cosmetics and food categories. The growth has already been spotted in 2019. Based on CodeCheck Insights, in 2019, 80% of new products contain these ingredients, followed by food at 17%, and beverages at 3%. The future will be to propose ready to drink beverages containing CBD that bridge the gap between food, vitamins, and over the counter supplements. This will offer benefits to one’s health and beauty.

Conscious consumers are not only using CodeCheck to take care of their “outside,” but also to reach whole-body health. 2% of CodeCheck users want to lose weight vs 60% who want to live healthier. By living healthier, they intend to raise their physical and mental state with the use of natural practices.

Comments: 

  • “Conscious nutrition and hygiene rituals.”
  • “Preserve the miracle of your own body.”

Purchase only with social purpose  

Now more than ever, consumers want to feel part of a movement that has a positive impact on their planet. They look to back companies that support a clear and real purpose. The rewarded action of buying a product is emotional rather than physical or functional.

Brands will need to be more social and human in order to increase their emotional connection with conscious consumers. Being human means supporting and communicating a cause that connects with the consumer, while being social means creating a community among all its consumers.

For instance, products under the brand Share have an approval rating above 90% amongst their different categories; this includes water, personal care products, and food like muesli bars. Conscious consumers highly appreciate the social factor of the brand. Therefore, it becomes the main factor for rating products, instead of other aspects such as the benefits or packaging material.  Another example is Community Cola which promotes funding of local projects that are decided by the community (their consumers).

For conscious consumers, sustainability not only involves taking care of the planet, but also taking care of all living beings and not living at their expense. Concerns like animal welfare (47%) and fair working conditions (37%) rank amongst the top considerations for sustainability.

4 out of 10 conscious consumers think that one of the key drivers for choosing a food or cosmetic product relies on understanding the values of the brand/manufacturer.

Comments: 

  • “Whatever is healthy for me, my family, and nature.”

Home-made

Artisanal and local products provide certainty for how and from what they are produced. Consumers search for natural products that use the basics to create all things “whole, raw, and real.”

93% of conscious consumers think organic and natural ingredients are a key driver for purchasing food and cosmetics. 54% believe it is extremely important, while 41% believe it is important. 

The plant-based lifestyle reinforces the home-made trend. Consumers believe a plant-based diet can be used as an inner healing system.  This may cause users to prefer brands that work under the principle of home-made, or they will search for their own products. We have detected an increase in the search for vegan products amongst conscious consumers. During 2019 almost one in five conscious consumers prefer and purchase vegan products. Also, on average, products with a vegan label have an overall satisfaction rate of 93%, while products without a vegan label have a 23% overall satisfaction rate. 

Comments: 

  • “Plant-based nutrition: using nature’s healing power for diseases.”
  • “Fewer e-materials; DIY bread & pasta, etc.”

Environmental pressure

Growing awareness of the multiple negative effects of our consumption has made conscious consumers become more focused on taking action in diverse topics. For instance, ingredients, packaging, carbon footprint, reduction of waste, sustainable fashion, etc.

The increase of green alternatives has caused there to be no more excuses for continuing to consume the usual way. Now, consumers feel it’s a duty to adopt the new proposed habits that focus on taking care of the environment.

We have identified a new growing claim which is “Carbon neutral: (product, travels, festivals, etc…)”. Users want to measure their carbon footprint on the planet and find ways to reduce it.

Conscious consumers are willing to take responsibility for the planet. 81% of them are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging that does not harm the environment and animals. One third of them are even willing to pay between 16% and 25% more for sustainable packaging. 

Comments: 

  • “Live consciously and know the effects of your own lifestyle.”
  • “Renouncing certain luxuries (daily meat / fruit from far away) regionally as well as biodynamically.”
  • “Environmental compatibility with a small CO2 footprint.”

Trending ingredients 

Here is a list of trending ingredients that may not be recognized by conscious consumers now, but their appearance in the market is growing rapidly due to their extended benefits and natural origin.

  • Baobab: growing at a rate of 600% – Provides antioxidants and fiber; fights fatigue.
  • Moringa:  growing at a rate of 500% – Rich in vitamins and antioxidants; replacement for coffee and matcha as it doesn’t contain caffeine.
  • Portulak: growing at a rate of 314% – Low in calories and rich in vitamins; anti-inflammatory.
  • Blackcurrant: growing at a rate of 140% – Linked to “probiotic action;” helps detoxification; keeps teeth healthy.
  • Tamarind: growing at a rate of 19% – Anti-fungal and bacterial; rich in vitamin B.
  • Kava: growing at a rate of 75% – Mainly in beverages; eases anxiety, relieves stress, and relaxes muscle and nervous tension.
  • Hemp/CBD: growing at a rate of 243% – Provides energy; general feeling of well-being; ingredient associated with minerals and vitamins.

Looking for tailor-made insights on conscious consumers for your company?

Then, you may want to try and use CodeCheck Insights, the largest panel for conscious consumers in the German-speaking countries. The CodeCheck app platform is reaching 3.5 million users. Ask users directly and receive informative data and valuable insights into the desires of the discerning and conscious consumers – segmented according to your wishes.

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Methodology: All interactions triggered by CodeCheck users are measured. This includes scanning, searching, product page views, comments, voting and rating.