Bain - Consumer of Future

The Consumer of the Future
Part I: Impact of today's

turbulence
US and Western Europe
This information is confidential and was prepared by Bain & Company solely for the use of our client; it is not to be relied on by any 3rd party without Bain's prior written consent.
Executive Summary: The Consumer View
• Lower income shoppers are more impacted by cash

flow pressures, while higher-income shoppers are more
worried about their overall balance sheet
-All consumers are trading down, but also “fleeing to value”
-Discounters and private labels are growing share, but
consumers still value name-brand innovation within categories
• Long-term trends such as demographic and population
shifts are largely unchanged by the economy
• Convenience, “green,” and wellness trends are still
relevant, even while consumer willingness to pay high
price premiums changes with the economy
• Trends such as nesting, spend polarization, and small
personal indulgences are actually accelerated by a
downturn
GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 2
Executive Summary: How Brands Respond
• Ensure you have the best value proposition for your core
customers
-Continue innovation and meaningful premiumization of
experience
-Retailers and producers need to collaborate to keep conversations
with consumers positive (transform Below The Line consumer
dialogue, focus on the in-store experience)
• Don’t squander years’ worth of brand equity for a few

quarters of sales
-Offer real value for money
-Create offers for recession psychology
• Relearn the lessons of winners in previous downturns
-Dust off the 80’s playbook
-Drive simplicity-speed through repeatable models
-Increase focus on margin by aggressive cost and cash flow
management GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 3
The current global crisis poses four questions
to consumer goods producers
• How are consumers feeling and changing their
behaviors?
• What is the impact on global consumer trends?
• What should companies do to react?
The recession is already hitting consumer
cash flows
Consumer Consumer
cash flow “balance sheet”
+ Income + Home equity
+ Available credit for + Shares and retirement plans

spending
- Savings + Other assets
- Spend on essentials - Debt
Classic recessionary impact: Longer term impact:

hurts business through cycle Harder to predict as it damages
consumer confidence
Consumers with low incomes will be hardest
hit by cash flow pressures
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
Lower incomes Middle class Higher incomes
Exposure: • Heavily • Moderately • High income and

exposed to exposed to high levels of
unemployment unemployment risk savings provides
pressure (e.g. (cuts to middle cushion from cash
manufacturing) management) flow problems
• Low savings • Low savings rate
cushion
% households* ~40% ~40% ~20%

% income* ~10% ~40% ~50%
* USA example
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 6
Cash flow impact is causing consumers to reduce
spending: US and UK retail sales in steep decline
United States United Kingdom
Retail sales growth (%, QoQ growth)
10% “For the first
time in three
years, total
retail UK
5 sales fell into
negative
territory.”
British Retail
0 Consortium
US
-5
1993 2001-2002 Nov. 2008
Global Downturn
Source: US Census Bureau (until Nov. 2008) GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 7
Consumer spending is reduced in a few key
ways
Trading down Looking for value
Cutting back Delaying purchases
Discounters are gaining share in Europe
UK Grocery Retail France Grocery Retail

YoY market share evolution for HoH market share evolution for
grocery in UK (as of Nov. 08) grocery in France (as of H1 2008)
0.8% Discount 0.8% Discount
Price-oriented Price-oriented
0.6 0.5% 0.6 "Normal"
"Normal"
0.4% 0.4%
0.4 0.4
0.2%
0.2 0.2 0.1%
0.0 0.0
-0.2 -0.1% -0.2

-0.2%
-0.4 -0.4
-0.4%
-0.6 -0.6
t.
r
c
t.
on
da
ou
er
o
y'
un
un
sc
As
r is
cl
ur
ef
co
co
Te
Le
rr
or
sb
is
is
Ca
M
in
D
D
'08 '08
Sa
Market 6% 17% 11% 31% 16% Market 14% 16% 13%

share share
Sources: TNS WorldPanel UK and France GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 9
Private Label products are growing faster than
Brands
FRANCE EXAMPLE
YoY sales growth,
all grocery categories ('07-'08)
5%
Private
3
label
-3
Brand
-5
-8
Aug. '07 Jan. '08 Oct. '08
US value-oriented channels are gaining
share
Same-store retail sales, 3-month
rolling average - US
10%
Warehouse
5 clubs
Discounters
0
Specialty
apparel stores
-5
Department stores
Luxury stores
-10
Jan-07 May-07 Sep-07 Jan-08 May-08 Sep-08
Note: The 3-month rolling average is based on a subset of retailers within each category and calculated from monthly same-store sales
data weighted by quarterly revenues; the data for warehouse clubs exclude the impact of fuel prices for BJ’s from January 2007
onward, for Sam’s Club from February 2007 onward and for Costco from October 2007 onward
Source: Financo; ICSC; CapitalIQ; MarketWatch; company press releases GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 11
Consumers are looking for value and waiting
for sales on branded goods
• Consumers still buying brands, • Consumers waiting for sales on
but look for trusted brands with name-brand products
“proof of value” - Top two savings tactics reported by
- Apple iPhone is at a high price US shoppers (Unilever research):
point, but perceived as “worth it” “Only buy when it’s on sale”
(6.9M iPhones sold in quarter to “Use coupons whenever I buy
Sep 08*) this product”
- Customers increasingly buying
luxury items at large discounts
Vente-privee.com offers 30-
70% discounts to 6 millions
French clients
*Combined sales in previous 5 quarters were 6.1M units

Source: Literature searches; Bernstein Research; “Winning in Turbulent Times” (Unilever);GXC
OuestConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2
France, Nov 08 12
Consumers are cutting back on non-essential
spending
• Consumers are cutting out non- • Ostentatious wealth is
essential purchases, particularly becoming less fashionable
in luxury categories
- Global luxury goods market to “In grim times, it becomes
decrease by 3 to 7% in 2009 (Bain distasteful or simply
study) unfashionable to spend money
on bling.”
Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy
“It’s now chic to cut
back. People say
about their holiday:
‘No, we’re just
• Strong impact on food/drink spending a very quiet
habits at work (Vault Study, US, holiday with family’
Oct. 08) — instead of ‘We’re
- 61% are bringing sandwich from home going to Anguilla for
Thanksgiving.”
- 28% are cutting back on coffees
President of a
“I'm ordering less expensive items wealth management
from my favourite lunch places.” firm
US consumer
Source: Reuters GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 13
Consumers are delaying some large
purchases
• Customers are delaying large • Home furnishings stores down
purchases, postponing 15% in October 2008 in the US
replacements
“Orders for durable goods, a

crucial measure of spending by
businesses, declined 6.2 percent in
October.”
NY Times • Households appliances are
also impacted
• Car sales down 32% in the US
and 15% in Europe in October
2008
“Some consumers are delaying

replacement purchases for
appliances.”
Whirlpool, Oct. 08
Source: Reuters GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 14
Impacts on balance sheets will last even
after the economy recovers
Consumer Consumer
cash flow “balance sheet”
+ Income + Home equity
+ Available credit for + Shares and retirement plans

spending
- Savings + Other assets
- Spend on essentials - Debt
Classic recessionary impact: Longer term impact:

hurts business through cycle Harder to predict as it damages
consumer confidence
Balance sheet impacts will affect consumers
with higher asset exposure the most
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
Retirees Families with Generation Y

mortgages
Exposure: • Retirement • Exposed to • Lower exposure

income heavily declines in housing to stock market or
exposed to prices to housing equity
equity markets • Depend on • Loss of confidence
• Vulnerable to available credit during downturn,
declines in value (home equity lines but temporary
of home equity and cards) for
spending
% population ~20% ~40% ~40%
% wealth ~35% ~60% ~5%
Note: Based on US wealth distribution by age (Generation Y: under 30, Families: 30-60, Retirees: 60+)
Source: US Census Bureau, Bain analysis GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 16
Some long term changes in lifestyle and
workplace participation may emerge
Higher workforce
Deferred retirement Families helping out
participation
• Older people stay in • The number of dual- • Retirees may move

the workforce income families may in with their
longer to compensate increase, particularly children due to
for lost retirement in emerging markets reduced savings
savings • A higher percentage • Children may stay
of workers may take at home longer due
second jobs to lack of available
credit
behaviors?
It is still early to predict, but we believe the crisis will
primarily impact existing trends, not initiate new ones
• In general, periods of upheaval

tend to accelerate or alter
existing trends rather than
creating new ones
• Long term trends – being long
term trends – shouldn’t
normally be changed
drastically
-Some major long term trends in
the consumer landscape will be
accelerated by this downturn
-Other trends will continue to be

important, but will become more
value-oriented
Bandwidth and online information explosion will be
accelerated as people spend more time at home
Macro shifts
Ageing population • Little impact from economic cycles
Increased • Little impact from economic cycles

ethnicity
• Spending power will continue to shift eastwards, but

Rise of the East
main GDP growth contributors will slow down
Discretionary • Consumer spending power will be hit short term by

spend increase the recession, but will recover
Global mobility • Global trade will decrease in the short term, but will
(goods/people) recover with the economy
Market freedom/ • The recession is likely to cause a long term shift

deregulation towards greater government regulation
Resource depletion/
• Little impact from economic cycles
Earth’s habitability
Moore's law/ • Bandwidth and online information explosion will be

Bandwidth explosion accelerated as people spend more time at home
Impact of downturn on trend

Decelerated (long term) Accelerated (long term) Trend changed in nature
Decelerated (short term) Accelerated (short term)
GXC Unchanged
ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 20
These macro shifts are conditioning
consumer behavioral and attitudinal trends
Macro shifts Core trends Emerging trends
Ageing population Health and

wellness Spend
Increased polarization Tribalism
ethnicity
Consumer
Rise of the East experience Hiving/
Nesting Individualism
Discretionary
spend increase
Convenience Sensory/
indulgence Post-
Global mobility materialism
(goods/people)
Market freedom/ Premium-

Consumer
deregulation isation Brand
conscience
fatigue
Resource depletion/
Feminization Consumption
Technology
Moore's law/ dependence caps
bandwidth explosion
Which trends will affect your company’s strategy in
the short and longer term?
Macro shifts Core trends Emerging trends
Ageing population
Health and
wellness Hiving/
Increased Nesting Tribalism
ethnicity
Rise of the East Consumer Spend

experience polarisation Individualism
Discretionary
spend increase
Sensory/
Convenience indulgence Post-
Global mobility materialism
(goods/people)
Market freedom/ Premium-

deregulation Consumer isation Brand
conscience fatigue
Resource depletion/
Feminisation Consumption
Moore's law/ Technology caps
Bandwidth explosion dependence
Impact of downturn on trend

Decelerated (long term) Accelerated (long term) Trend changed in nature
Decelerated (short term) Accelerated (short term)
GXC Unchanged
ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 22
Health and wellness continue to matter, but
at a reasonable price
Pre-recession Post-recession
• Obsession with well-being • Concern with health and

• Switch to “healthy options” wellbeing,
(organic, low fat, etc) but unwillingness to spend more
for healthy products
• "Back to basics" trend:
-Walk or bike to the office
instead of going to the gym
-Cook 'superfoods' instead of
buying expensive healthy pre-
prepared meals
Consumer experience will become even more
important coming out of the recession
Consumers will try more new Brands will have to provide a

brands and products, full experience, preferably at a
prompted by the downturn reasonable price
“Store and brand loyalty are a thing of the past as the size and
mode of buying alters shape to suit the times”
The Age
“The crisis is causing the consumer to rethink what had become a

habit.”
Greg Tipsord, Henkel’s U.S.
Source: Wall Street Journal; The Age GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 24

Convenience remains a goal, when delivered
at a reasonable price
• Demand for 'time-saving', well- • Possible bifurcation:
portioned, portable products, e.g. - Unwillingness to spend more for
- Ready meals convenient products
- Single-serve E.g. buying fruits instead of
- ‘On the go’ smoothies
- Multi-purpose - Increased demand for time-saving
products and shopping channels as
• Switch to convenient shopping people have to work more
- Convenient stores
- Impulse channels
- On-line
Environmental, moral and social values will be important,
but consumers may not pay extra for them
• Environmental, ethical, moral and • Consumer conscience remains
social values important to vivid, but consumers less willing to
consumers spend more for it
• Popular environmental trends are
those that save money
- e.g. saving power and water
• New mantras for 'save the planet'
activists:
- From 'pro-green' to 'anti-greed'
Technology will become even more important to
consumers, driven by a “homeward bound” trend
• Growth in time and money

spent on the internet
-Computer equipment
-Broadband subscriptions
-E-commerce
-Voice over IP
• Growth in in-home
entertainment
-DVD, VoD, internet TV
-Home cinema, Blue Ray players
-Video games and consoles
The trend to “hive” or stay at home will accelerate
mainly during the recession period
Pressures on cash flow are Annual UK beer sales

(rolling average, thousands of barrels)
causing families to stay home
more often: 30K
• 73% of US consumers cut back on UK example
spending on entertainment,
recreation, and eating out (Gallop
Poll) 20
• For 28% of UK consumers, eating On-trade
out will be the first items to be cut Off-trade
“People fear the future, and now with the 10
banking crisis, they are even more afraid… Tendency towards off-
they buy a bottle at the supermarket trade alcohol purchase
and they drink it at home.” expected to accelerate
Owner, Le Festi'Val bar and cafe
0
1998 2003 2008
However as cash flow and confidence recovers,

consumers will start going out again
Source: British Beer and Pub Association, Jefferies & Company (August 7, 2008); PwC
(August 2008); New York Times; Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve; Financo
The same consumers will increasingly "polarize", spending
on both value and premium at the same time
• More consumers patronize Discount products

& channels during downturn
The trend to
"polarization"
will
accelerate…
with a bias to
• Premium products and concepts remain
more
attractive in the long run
Discount this
-Selective indulgence during tough times
time
-Renewed lifestyle when economy picks up
again
Consumers treat themselves with small
indulgences or premium products
• Sales of chocolate, tobacco and
liquor holding in most regions
- Cadbury sales up 6% in Q3 08
- BAT sales up 9% in Q3 08 (at constant
currency rates)
- Diageo reported organic net sales growth
of 6% in the 3 months to Sep 08
• Cosmetics are also seen as an
affordable luxury
- German cosmetic sales increased 6.9%
YoY in 2008
• There will still be room for premium
products, but they will need to pass the
“worth it” test
But Alcohol and Tobacco may begin

to decline soon, driven by lower on-
trade and Duty Free sales
Source: Company financial results; Agence France Presse; New Zealand Herald; IKW GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 30
The downturn is likely to have a limited
effect on the remaining trends
Sense of affiliation, Affirmation of self,
Brand fatigue
tribalism individualism
• Consumers desire to • Consumers express • Consumers develop few

belong to a group or themselves through emotional relationships
tribe what they buy with brands
Feminization Post-materialism Consumption caps
• Consumers buy • Consumers derive social • In the developed world,

women-only products, benefits through non- basic needs face real
or male ‘grooming’ materialism ‘consumption caps’ (e.g.
calories or hours per day)
behaviors?
Implications of consumer trends for
consumer goods producers
Trends Right Now Medium-long term
- Relatively Consumer Spend Sensory/
stable: Premiumisation
experience polarisation indulgence
- Questions on
timing/impact: Discretionary Rise of the
spend increase East
Implications: • Continue innovation and • Once predictable parts of strategy are
premiumization of experience now turbulent:
• Continue to work with customers to - Eastern Europe and Asia no longer the
transform BTL consumer dialogue clear ‘growth hedge’ for the developed
world
• Adjust to recession environment:
- Shift towards greater regulation may
- Offer real value for money impact
- Offers for recession psychology
Recommended 1• Don’t lose focus on innovation 5• Develop strategy for sustainable

actions: and in store activities growth that’s robust against
2• Dust off the “80s playbook” downside scenarios
3• Ensure you have the best value

proposition
Capabilities 4• Define and rollout repeatable 6• Build capabilities to win during

required: models for revenues and costs real turbulence
The Alphabet Game...
Effort and
resources
• Stay the course on innovation and in store
A
transformation
• Start the 80s Play Book 90%
• Drive simplicity-speed through repeatable
models
• Hedge against deeper recession and declining
B ‘Growth in the East’ through greater focus on

‘profit hunts’
8%
• Continue to ensure that the strategy and
C business model are robust against alternative

future scenarios
2%
Lessons from previous downturns: Winners
demonstrated strong fundamentals and adaptability
Winners Everyone Else
• Strong core business and deep • Vulnerable core business and/or

understanding/appreciation for the insufficient clarity on what really
sources of that strength drives success
• Cohesive and aligned • Divisive leadership and/or vague

management team with a clear sense of strategic intent
strategy
• Multi-year focus on balance • Consumed by short term effects on

sheet and asset building P&L/compensation
• Lean and flexible operating model • High fixed costs embedded in rigid
to maintain investments organization structure
• Embrace turbulence as an • Allow trauma to thwart decision-

opportunity and demonstrate the making and force defensive/
courage to seize it reactive moves
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information on Bain & Company’s ‘The Consumer of the

Future’ research study or media inquiries, contact:
Cheryl Krauss
Senior Director, Worldwide Public Relations
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +1 646 562 7863
Or
Frank Pinto
Media Relations
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +1 917 309 1065

Bain - Consumer of Future

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bain - Consumer of Future

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bain - Consumer of Future

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Consumer of the Future

Part I: Impact of today's

US and Western Europe

• Lower income shoppers are more impacted by cash

• Don’t squander years’ worth of brand equity for a few

• What is the impact on global consumer trends?

• What should companies do to react?

+ Income + Home equity

+ Available credit for + Shares and retirement plans

- Savings + Other assets

- Spend on essentials - Debt

Classic recessionary impact: Longer term impact:

Lower incomes Middle class Higher incomes

Exposure: • Heavily • Moderately • High income and

% households* ~40% ~40% ~20%

Trading down Looking for value

Cutting back Delaying purchases

UK Grocery Retail France Grocery Retail

-0.2 -0.1% -0.2

Market 6% 17% 11% 31% 16% Market 14% 16% 13%

*Combined sales in previous 5 quarters were 6.1M units

“Orders for durable goods, a

“Some consumers are delaying

+ Income + Home equity

+ Available credit for + Shares and retirement plans

- Savings + Other assets

- Spend on essentials - Debt

Classic recessionary impact: Longer term impact:

Retirees Families with Generation Y

Exposure: • Retirement • Exposed to • Lower exposure

• Older people stay in • The number of dual- • Retirees may move

• What is the impact on global consumer trends?

• What should companies do to react?

• In general, periods of upheaval

-Other trends will continue to be

Increased • Little impact from economic cycles

• Spending power will continue to shift eastwards, but

Discretionary • Consumer spending power will be hit short term by

Market freedom/ • The recession is likely to cause a long term shift

Moore's law/ • Bandwidth and online information explosion will be

Impact of downturn on trend

Ageing population Health and

Market freedom/ Premium-

Rise of the East Consumer Spend

Market freedom/ Premium-

Impact of downturn on trend

• Obsession with well-being • Concern with health and

Consumers will try more new Brands will have to provide a

“The crisis is causing the consumer to rethink what had become a

Source: Wall Street Journal; The Age GXC ConsumerOfTheFuture_BainStudyJanuary2009v2 24

• Growth in time and money

Pressures on cash flow are Annual UK beer sales

However as cash flow and confidence recovers,

• More consumers patronize Discount products

But Alcohol and Tobacco may begin

• Consumers desire to • Consumers express • Consumers develop few

Feminization Post-materialism Consumption caps

• Consumers buy • Consumers derive social • In the developed world,

• What is the impact on global consumer trends?