As lockdown lifts, consumers are re-emerging with a new set of priorities, including inclusivity, sustainability, and safety—and are expecting brands to follow their lead.

According to a recent study by McKinsey, three quarters of Americans changed their shopping behavior since Covid-19 began. As consumers shift their shopping habits to reflect their values, brands must adapt their strategies to satisfy a new and evolving set of needs and expectations.

4 Packaging Trends to Watch

JET-SETTER

Consumers are beginning to travel again, and they’re searching for travel-size products to accompany them on their next trip. There are 220k average weekly searches for travel trends, +24% to last year (+17% since April 2021).

• Searches for Travel Size Toothpaste are +68% to last year
• Searches for Travel Makeup Bags are +64% to last year
• Searches for Toiletry Bag are +58% to last year
• Searches for Travel Organizers are +43% to last year
• Searches for Travel Size Perfume are +26% to last year

LAUNCH TO  WATCH:

Cadence offers magnetic travel capsules made from ocean-bound plastic that snap together, allowing you to keep all your essentials in one place. Consumers can even customize their capsules with pre-made labels, so everything is easy to locate.

NO-TOUCH BEAUTY

Prioritizing safety and cleanliness, consumers are opting for products in hygienic formats to minimize germ exposure. Offering a more sanitary application, searches for foundation sticks, eyeshadow sticks, and cleansing sticks are growing at an accelerated rate.

• Searches for Cleansing Sticks are +341% to last year
• Searches for Foundation Sticks are +147% to last year
• Searches for Eyeshadow Sticks are +60% to last year
• Searches for Sunscreen Sticks are +43% to last year

LAUNCH TO WATCH

Multitasking products like SuperGoop’s SPF Glow Stick and Stila’s Lip and Cheek Stick keep beauty routines simple and sanitary. 

INCLUSIVE DESIGN

A new wave of innovative packaging solutions tailored to consumers with disabilities celebrate diversity and the transformative power of makeup.

Adaptive beauty products in the market are up 9% in the last 30 days, and big brands are taking steps to reach people with disabilities through new launches and inclusive campaigns.

• Searches for Inclusive Beauty are +15% to last year

LAUNCH TO WATCH

Unilever’s Degree Inclusive is a radically redesigned deodorant package that makes uncapping and applying deodorant easier for people with limited upper mobility. 

GREENER FUTURE

The pandemic heightened consumers’ awareness of climate change.

A global survey conducted by BBC News reported that 60% of participants are making more environmentally friendly or sustainable purchases since the start of the pandemic, and 90% of those individuals would likely continue doing so.

Refillable beauty is a top market mover with 37% of new SKUs out of stock.

• Searches for Plantable Packaging are +854% to last year
• Searches for Refillable Deodorant are +238% to last year
• Searches for Reusable Ear Swab are +63% to last year
• Searches for Solid Shampoo are +41% to last year

LAUNCH TO WATCH

LastObject’s sustainably-made products provide consumers with reusable alternatives to single-use products like cotton rounds and q-tips.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Barnes is the content marketing manager a Trendalytics, where her team leverages signals from Google search, social media, and e-comm to create data-driven trend forecasting reports. An alumnus of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) with 10 years of experience in trend forecasting, she incorporates critical consumer behavior shifts with Trendalytics data to predict and validate trends.

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