News 13.10.2023

Need to Know

Introducing Gen Z as the sober generation, Gabriela Białkowska’s Foresight Friday and young shoppers are more likely to order groceries online.

Are Gen Z the sober generation?

Global – Gen Z are making the news for their non-drinking and non-smoking habits. Beyond implications for businesses across several sectors – hospitality, health and wellness, and of course, food and drink, Gen Z sobriety is also affecting governments through lost tax revenue.

‘A £4.7bn [$5.7bn, €5.4bn] has been removed from tax revenue alone as Gen Z embrace alternative ways to recreate, hang out and redefine pleasure,’ explains Martin Raymond, The Future Laboratory’s co-founder and editor-in-chief.

Delve deeper into our analysis of sober-forward innovations in No-lo Taste Lifts, Sober Bars, Tinned Tipples, and Care Collectives.

Find out more

LS:N Global members can find our latest Food and Drink Futures report here. LS:N Global is the trends and consumer foresight platform that powers The Future Laboratory’s services, which include our Strategy team who can help unpack the relevance of our research for your business. So get in touch with us now to find out how we can help you make a better, more resilient future happen.

Tree-inspired sculpture unveiled at Chengdu Biennale 2023

Tree.One by ecoLogicStudio, Chengdu Art Biennale, China Tree.One by ecoLogicStudio, Chengdu Art Biennale, China
Tree.One by ecoLogicStudio, Chengdu Art Biennale, China Tree.One by ecoLogicStudio, Chengdu Art Biennale, China

China ­– A stunning tree-like sculpture, Tree.One, has been unveiled at the Chengdu Biennale 2023. Commissioned by Hyundai Motor Co and created by architecture and design firm ecoLogicStudio, this 3D-printed structure mimics the form and function of a real tree.

Tree.One is composed of three parts: roots, trunk and canopy. It operates as a living system with the purpose of capturing carbon dioxide through the cultivation of liquid microalgae within intricately designed bioreactors integrated into its trunk. The trunk’s unique pleated design is inspired by the buttress tree root.

Tree.One’s artistic and functional synergy exemplifies the sculpture’s commitment to both art and utility. The project aims to encourage cities to integrate native flora into urban landscapes as a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial means of combatting pollution and climate change. It also stands as a powerful example of biomimicry, showing how we can innovate spatial design for our Future Spaces.

Strategic opportunity

The field of eco-technology is still in its nascent stage, but businesses should consider investing in it now as it offers ample opportunities and solutions to stave off problems associated with climate change in urban cities

Foresight Friday: Gabriela Białkowska, creative foresight analyst

Photography by The Future Laboratory, UK Photography by The Future Laboratory, UK

Every Friday, the Future Laboratory team offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, creative foresight analyst Gabriela Białkowska discusses bizarre cultivated meats, spicy flavours and background music.

: Primeval Foods is spicing up our dinner options with its innovative cultivated meat technology. You can now try lion, tiger or zebra flavors without any ecological or ethical concerns. But here’s some food for thought: if we can cultivate exotic animal meat, when will we see cultivated human meat on the menu? Read more in our Cultivated Meat Market report.

: Coca-Cola is adding a dash of excitement to the ready-to-drink (RTD) category with the introduction of spiced Coke for experience-seeking Gen Z consumers. Similarly, Heartbeat’s spicy rosé RTD is stirring interest, indicating a surge in spicy nuances across beverages. All kudos to the Snaxshot newsletter for being ahead of the curve on this spicy trend. If you aren’t a subscriber yet, now’s the time!

: As I write this with the soothing sound of Lofi Girl in the background, it’s hard for me to imagine switching to a different focus playlist. Perhaps the Lofi Girl and Lego, with a set made from plastic bricks, could become a new favourite? Apple’s attempt with the 90-minute long Study With Me video featuring actress Storm Reid is commendable, but would you trade your lofi vibes for Apple’s curation? I certainly won’t.

Quote of the week

'We could say ‘Let’s not make anything and just exist’ but that’s not realistic'

Daniel Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of lifestyle brand Space Available

Stat: US Gen Z are buying groceries online and collecting in-store

Photography by Ketut Subiyanto Photography by Ketut Subiyanto

US – A report analysing US adults’ grocery shopping habits has revealed Gen Z’s propensity for online food shopping. Almost three in four (74%) of the Gen Z individuals surveyed had purchased online groceries at least once in the past month and were more likely to have chosen cost-effective in-store pick-up.

Published in October 2023, the Morning Consult survey of 6,649 US adults found that in addition to shopping online more often, Gen Z shoppers are more likely to plan their weekly meals before shopping for groceries.

Despite not yet having the spending power of older generations, the research also reveals that Gen Z are less price-sensitive than older generations and less likely to be concerned about issues such as the cost of meat. Morning Consult suggests this is due to shopping for smaller households and fewer dependents, and therefore being less affected by inflation.

Gen Z’s digital fluency has the potential to disrupt industries across the board, and food retail is no exception. As explored in our Food Delivery Futures report, delivery services are having to rapidly adapt to meet the demand for convenience and hyper-personalisation when it comes to ordering food online.

Strategic opportunity

From searching for recipes on social media to using AI to build intelligent shopping lists or meal plans for the week, where can your brand connect with Gen Z consumers on their path to purchase?

Previous News Articles
Key takeaways from Live Retail Week and The Grocer 2025

News

Key takeaways from Live Retail Week and The Grocer 2025

At Ocado, the three key principles driving its double-digit growth ambitions are clarity, culture and collaboration, according to Amit Chitnis, chi...
Retail : Food & Drink : Events
Equinox and Stripes Beauty launch luxury menopause spa experience

News

Equinox and Stripes Beauty launch luxury menopause spa experience

The Spa by Equinox Hotels has partnered with pro-ageing beauty and wellness brand Stripes Beauty to introduce a high-tech, luxury wellness spa circ...
Health & Wellness : Luxury : Travel & Hospitality
Stat: Teens say Victoria’s Secret Pink is one of North America’s coolest brands

News

Stat: Teens say Victoria’s Secret Pink is one of North America’s coolest brands

According to YPulse’s annual Cool Brands Report, released in early 2025, 71% of North American teenagers say it is important that the brands they p...
Fashion : Youth : Society
LS:N Global Just Got Smarter

News

LS:N Global Just Got Smarter

Meet our new AI tool, Ember.
The Future Laboratory
The Ordinary’s new platform shatters skincare myths

News

The Ordinary’s new platform shatters skincare myths

The Ordinary is dispelling skincare myths with its new platform, TheTruthShouldBeOrdinary.com.
Advertising & Branding : Beauty : Health & Wellness
Stat: Super Bowl smashes viewership records

News

Stat: Super Bowl smashes viewership records

Fox’s broadcast of the 2025 Super Bowl LIX drew a record-breaking 126m viewers across platforms, cementing its place as the most-watched Super Bowl...
Sports & Leisure : Advertising & Branding : Pop-culture & Media
Harrison Ford brings Hollywood charm to Glenmorangie whisky

News

Harrison Ford brings Hollywood charm to Glenmorangie whisky

Scotch whisky distillery Glenmorangie has unveiled actor Harrison Ford as its new global ambassador.
Advertising & Branding : Food & Drink : Pop-culture & Media
Hims & Hers takes on obesity crisis in provocative Super Bowl ad

News

Hims & Hers takes on obesity crisis in provocative Super Bowl ad

Telehealth brand Hims & Hers made a bold debut at the Super Bowl with a provocative 60-second ad addressing the US obesity epidemic.
Health & Wellness : Society : Advertising & Branding
Women less confident in Bank of England amid inflation pressures

News

Women less confident in Bank of England amid inflation pressures

New research from the University of Oxford reveals that women trust the Bank of England (BoE) less than men and feel more financially squeezed by i...
Finance : Society : Identities
Stat: US wellness economy surpasses £1.6 trillion milestone

News

Stat: US wellness economy surpasses £1.6 trillion milestone

The US wellness economy has officially surpassed £1.6 trillion ($2 trillion, €1.9 trillion) for the first time, according to a new report from the ...
Finance : Health & Wellness : Society
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN