The current experience of a pandemic has undoubtedly knocked us out of everyday functioning. It continues, and we are more and more aware of its long-term consequences. Psychologically, the pandemic can be compared to critical life experiences, such as divorce or marriage, the death of a loved one or the birth of a child. These experiences all re-evaluate our thinking about various aspects of life, but also – as stated in research – affect our consumer habits. Under normal circumstances, only 8% of consumers change brands or reach for new products. Studies have shown that in a group of people who have experienced something significant in their lives, this percentage increases to 21%.
It would seem that in the face of the uncertainty that the pandemic experience entails, we will instead choose known solutions. It turns out, however, that the sheer scale of the phenomenon and how it significantly disorganized our everyday lives mean that we are continually verifying new areas of life and our consumer choices. We are thrown out of every day, mechanical action, which favours a more conscious and in-depth reflection on our efforts. The lack of a sense of security makes us question our current behaviour and choices and try to verify them in a new light. The fact that due to the protracted situation, we had to adopt new habits and methods of action increases the chance of new practices being implemented in the future.
This means that after a pandemic, consumers will be particularly open to reaching for new brands and products. On the one hand, this creates an opportunity for brands that planned new products in their offer. On the other hand, it is a challenge for all brands, including those with an established position. In order not to lose, they should think about how to adapt their offer to the new reality, verify how much they fit the new life and reality. You should take into account the loss of some loyal consumers and make sure you attract new ones who have not reached for us before. Safe innovations (i.e. new products offered by trusted brands) seem to have a particularly good justification shortly.
*Source: https://www.warc.com/content/article/warc-exclusive/the-long-term-impact-of-covid-19-on-consumer-behaviour/132215 https://www.dlahandlu.pl/detal-hurt/wiadomosci/chiny-przygotowuja-sie-do-restartu-jak-koronawirus-zmieni-nawyki-konsumentow,86742.html
