Is It Time to Fly & Time to Buy?

Lockdowns have been lifted in much of Asia, Europeans are heading outside again and in hard hit US states like New York and New Jersey, restrictions are easing. Heck, even the beaches are open down the Jersey Shore! Life in many parts of the world is getting back to normal, or a new normal, at least. After all, social distancing, it seems, is here for the foreseeable future; masks, too.

Nearly as important, though, is what are consumers’ mindsets post-COVID-19? Are people eager to get on a plane? Head to a movie theater? Sit in a restaurant? Stroll through a department store? Okay, that last question is sort of a trick one. Foot traffic in department stores has been declining for years.

The idea of battling traffic, fighting for a parking spot and jostling crowds only to find a pathetic product mix just doesn’t entice shoppers like it did in the past, and COVID-19 may be the final blow. Retail sales plunged 16.4% in April, the most on record, as Americans cut spending on most nonessentials. Major retailers like J. Crew, Neiman Marcus and JC Penney have already filed for bankruptcy protection and more are sure to follow.

Millennials live online, will older generations follow? Most observers think so. To reach the next generation of consumers, companies and brands must do things differently. Dermatologists are already there. In her article, Calling in the Prescription, Melissa Meisel details how dermatologists used technology to get skin care to patients during the darkest days of the pandemic. Convincing doctors to follow a new regimen is never easy, so it is surprising how easily derms adapted to their new reality.

Forward-thinking is also the order of the day in Boxes, Bottles & Beyond, Christine Esposito’s article on packaging trends. While the pandemic remains top of mind, packaging developers continue to create more sustainable containers for the household and personal products industry.

As the world waits for a vaccine, it seems as though consumers are ready to step outside and get on with their lives again. And that is great news for economies around the world. We hope you enjoy Happi.com; check back daily to read and watch the latest news impacting the global household and personal products industry. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions.

Tom Branna
VP/Editorial Director
tbranna@rodmanmedia.com