Need to Know
14 : 10 : 21

Mexico – Tierra Dulce, a bulk food store in the Mexican city of Monterrey, is encouraging sustainable and local consumption among young generations with a refreshed visual identity. Created by design studio Shift, the redesign includes a simple and adaptable food labelling system that can be applied to a variety of refillable bags and containers. A vibrant colour palette, bold hand-written typefaces and repeated layouts have been applied as a nod to the familiar chants of Mexican market sellers.

Taking an eco-conscious approach throughout, signage is created using materials such as glass and recycled paper. Through this identity refresh, Tierra Dulce combines the long-standing tradition of shopping at bulk food markets with the interests of local communities. ‘Our main goal was to re-interpret the bulk market as a smaller and more modern version,’ says Shift in conversation with LS:N Global. ‘The use of coloured cardboard paper and the custom-designed hand-written typography are inspired by the hand-made signage in the bulk market’s product displays.’

To discover more about the shift to localism and celebrating traditional approaches to grocery retail and supply chains, join us for our Food and Drink Futures online event on 28 October.

US – Mass Index is an educational platform and online community dedicated to answering netizens’ questions about skin conditions, founded in response to the lack of available information about common dermatological disorders such as psoriasis and fungal acne.

Drawing on their experience working at brands such as Glossier, founders Annie Kreighbaum and Rebecca Zhou set up Mass Index after realising that many people use platforms such as Reddit to crowdsource basic information about common skin concerns. Mass Index is an open-access website that offers expert-vetted medical opinions and a growing visual library of user-submitted photographs. To bolster Mass Index’s offer, its founders have also developed Soft Services, a range of skincare products created with performance ingredients and bespoke formulas for conditions including keratosis pilaris and hyperpigmentation.

The launch of Mass Index is symbolic of the growing number of people congregating online in search of more personable Radical Relief platforms that fill the knowledge gap left by the skin and healthcare sectors. By creating an educational platform that doubles as a community space and digital storefront, the company can in turn forge deeper relationships with its audience.

Across the world, people are increasingly prioritising having a calm life over an exciting one, according to research by the Wellbeing for Planet Earth Foundation (WPE), which found a significant preference for mindful ways of living.

The recent study – conducted across 116 countries and territories – shows that a majority (72%) of people globally would rather live a calm life than an exciting life, while only 16% said the opposite. The report also reveals various cultural nuances; for example, people in East Asia (85%) are considerably more likely to say they would prefer a calm life than those in Southeast Asia (68%). Meanwhile, people in Latin America are significantly more likely than those in the US and Canada to respond this way, although the gap is smaller at 82% versus 75%.

While the research may largely reflect people’s mindsets during Covid-19, it indicates an ongoing preference for stress-free lifestyles. To discover more about inter-Covid consumer mentalities, read our opinion piece by Dr Marc Schumacher.