Will we choose to repurpose our homes for a new way of living, or will we long to escape them and return to the familiar routine of the office?
As homes become more important to many of us, given we spend 24/7 of our time there, many people want them to be healthy environments — with more outdoor space to relax or even grow food, and plants & light, more sustainable- with more biodegradable products, organic food, preloved clothes or furniture, and apps to assess our carbon footprint and save on energy, and more flexible with people wanting to be able to adapt their rooms for different functions, mainly if there’s a growth in multi-generational homes.
Will we destroy or reinvent the high streetas we spend more time buying online while yearning to buy locally?
Will this shift lead to a reimagined high street, with fewer chain stores but more digital platforms, fewer fast fashion outlets but more libraries of things, and more digital retail cooperatives? Could we see a surge in local supply chains, making our neighbourhoods more sustainable and resilient? The potential for societal reinvention is both exciting and hopeful.
Will we want to embrace or escape digital?
We use tools to help us be more productive and compensate for the lack of face-to-face contact while spending more time where we can not use digital, be it more significant time outdoors, reading or doing DIY. Or even, like in the Roaring 1920s after the Spanish Flu, people wanted to escape to more hedonistic activities. For others, it is running to the past, watching old soaps or films that remind them of their youth.
While it may take time for businesses to shut down, many have shown remarkable adaptability and resilience. The restart may take longer, especially if we continue with the current ‘stop/start’ approach to lockdowns. Still, businesses’ ability to weather these challenges is a testament to their strength.
75% of people, according to McKinsey, have tried a new shopping behaviour. Many people say the pandemic has made them want to eat healthier and cook at home, while others say it’s been making them eat more comfort food and order takeaways. During the pandemic, everything from distilleries making hand sanitiser to Zoom funerals and local pubs and restaurants turned into takeaways.
Will people want those innovations in the future — such as being able only to take part in a funeral virtually or not being able to go to the local pub and instead drink at home?
