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05 : 05 : 21

UK – Using an interactive data visualisation, the design studio draws attention to the microplastics that invisibly pollute our air.

The visualisation, PlasticAir, invites users to interact with free-floating particles that represent microplastics, adjusting various environmental elements such as rain, snow and urban or remote locations. Clicking on each particle allows users to view the chemical composition of the plastics, as well as household items they may originate from.

Designed in collaboration with Google Arts and Culture, the platform also provides educational and actionable ways of reducing and monitoring plastic consumption. By providing this visual platform, people can better understand the impact of non-visible pollutants. Pentagram comments: ‘The experience offers a speculative window onto a data-driven approximation of the plastic particles that exist all around us, but remain hidden to the naked eye.’

From shrinking typefaces to offset apparel, we recently explored the range of ways in which designers are responding to the climate crisis.

US – Cosmos Vita is a new multivitamin brand fostering a community around holistic healthcare and astrology.

Launching with three vegan and gluten-free multivitamins, Cosmos Vita centres on the idea of creating balance for the mind, body and spirit. Each multivitamin includes active ingredients such as elderberry, zinc and apple cider vinegar to boost overall health and immunity. Created in gummy formulations, the vitamins provide an accessible way for people to build supplements into their daily routines.

Alongside the vitamin range, Cosmos Vita is also building an astrology-focused community, providing education around the health impact of events like new moons. To bolster this element of the brand, Cosmos Vita is partnering with an astrologer and spiritual adviser to write monthly horoscopes.

As Alternative Spirituality gains momentum among Generation Z, wellness brands have an opportunity to create products and services that align spiritual beliefs with healthcare.

According to a global study by YouGov, many grocery shoppers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products.

This is especially the case in Germany, where three in five (60%) shoppers express a willingness to spend more on products that are better for the environment. Similarly, more than half of grocery shoppers across other key regions expressed the same mindset – this includes the US (58%), the UK (57%) and Australia (53%).

Meanwhile, in Japan, grocery shoppers remain largely on the fence when it comes to paying a premium for sustainability. Some 42% of Japanese consumers neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement: ‘I don't mind paying more for products that are good for the environment.’ With this in mind, brands must consider the price barriers when it comes to encouraging consumers to buy eco-friendly products.

To see how we’ve been tracking the attitudes of eco-minded grocery shoppers over the years, meet our Low-impact Eaters community.