Rodd | Trends that will shape design in 2023
Hello and welcome to our annual trends review.
Ongoing financial pressures, increasing awareness of sustainability issues and a drive to live better. Consumer lifestyles are changing, and with them, behaviour. Meanwhile, new legislation is dialling up the pressure on businesses to adapt in line with key targets and adopt a regenerative mindset.
Opportunities for innovation are ripe — be it rethinking your packaging, exploring the rental economy or championing inclusive design.
These are our top trends that will be influencing design in 2023
01 | Long live reusable, down with recyclable!
As it stands, less than 10% of everyday packaging waste gets recycled in the UK. Surely, 2023 is the year we write packaging waste out of existence?
From its 80’s roots, the refill grocery store has seen a surge in popularity as sustainability pressures grow and shoppers seek practical alternatives to wasteful packaging.
In 2022, there are an estimated 200 zero waste shops throughout the UK that are free of packaging entirely. Beyond independents, local shoppers can purchase products from major supermarkets in reusable packaging, thanks to partnerships with reverse logistics brands like Loop (from TerraCycle.) Meanwhile, multiple sources are offering refillable pack-as-a-service’ for mass market grocers looking to reduce waste.
We long for a near-future where grocery packaging is designed solely to be reused, creating a democratic ownership experience between retailers and consumers. The appetite for sustainable shopping is high — now, the onus is on the industry to help people cut plastic waste from their lives for good.
02 | The Ethical Bar Code
Imagine a world where consumers could make informed purchasing decisions on the basis of clear ethical and sustainable metrics. Now, a piece of newly launched EU legislation could make this a reality.
The new Digital Product Passport (DPP) requires every piece of consumer-tech to be clearly marked with a DPP QR code, providing a centralised method of capturing information about a product including supply chain, component source and carbon footprint.
Surely, this is the genesis of something really powerful?
Through heightened transparency, DPPs enable consumers to identify greenwashing and validate a company’s sustainability credentials. In the near future, we predict a smartphone AR experience that allows consumers to evaluate as they shop. The shopper would be presented with realtime ‘best fit’ choices, based on their preferred purchasing criteria (e.g. carbon footprint, value for money, ethical production).
Equipped with this information, consumers can shop with confidence, while producers are encouraged to clean up their game.
03 | Home-grown hits the mainstream
With the cost of living crisis set to continue into 2023, people have no choice but to become more self-sufficient.
As lockdowns led many of us to spend more time at home, a staggering sixteen million people picked up gardening in the pandemic. Since then, supermarket shortages have sparked fears about food availability, while awareness of environmental issues is inspiring renewed interest in home-grown food. Data from Google supports this, showing a 350% increase in searches for hydroponic gardens in 2022. Are we about to witness the mass take up of home-grown ingredients?
Given the carbon cost of transporting food and the packaging required, it makes perfect sense for both people and planet. The latest trend in smart home devices, indoor hydroponic gardens reflects the move from consumer tech to support our evolving lifestyles.
04 | ‘ReinRenting’ the ownership model
In 2022, we witnessed a selection of big-name brands taking their first steps into the circular economy, as well an emergence of smaller sustainable brands becoming recognised in their markets.
In turn, the conversation within circular models is gathering momentum and changing consumer attitudes on ownership vs. rental services.
Already, major retailers like John Lewis are offering party wear to rent, while Library of Things encourages people to borrow items for one-off use instead of buying outright. In 2023, we predict this model will become one of the first examples of circular thinking being successfully adopted by the mainstream.
05 | Right to repair
With the introduction of the Repair law in 2022, UK manufacturers will soon be required to provide spare parts and service the products they sell. Although a great step forward, Right to Repair doesn’t go far enough, as it currently excludes the majority of small electronic devices.
Although manufacturers are afforded a 2 year grace period, there is little doubt that we will start to see a trickle starting to come through in the next year when serviceability is at the core.
Further, we may even see purpose-driven brands from unaffected sectors take initiative and become the forerunners in designing products and services based on the guiding principle of keeping ‘things’ in use for longer and out of landfill.
06 | Inclusive as standard.
Inclusive design isn’t about catering to the majority — it’s about designing with everybody in mind. Although this philosophy is already championed by some, 2023 will see inclusivity and accessibility playing a far more central role in the design of product, packaging and environments.
Driven by standards and legislation, we can expect a stronger imperative on brands to highlight their ‘design for all’ mantra, to widen their user base and to create products that cater to more extreme cases. French beauty brand L’Occitane is a great example, offering braille labelling on around 70 percent of their products.
With technology advancing and diversity higher on the agenda than ever before, the best brands will work to create barrier-free experiences that work for as many people as possible.
07 | Online purchase to become even more experiential
Gen Z were the first generation to be born with the internet, and the results of this cultural change are beginning to manifest in retail trends.
From the acceleration of our digital reliance in the pandemic to the transformation of social media into purchasing platforms, online shopping has become less practical and more experiential.
Given how fast the Metaverse can be adopted into a retail experience, this trend is only set to continue, with brands moving to explore the potential of digitally replicating in-store experiences. Already, 100 million consumers prefer using augmented reality (AR) while shopping.
As retailers rush to meet shoppers’ demands through enjoyable digital experiences, we’ll see a growth in the market for AR, with predictions currently placing its value at $50 billion by 2024.
08 | Local as the new drive
In 2023, the local shopping trend will pick up steam as purpose-driven consumers look for ways to give back to their communities. In a world which appears to be out of hand, supporting independent retailers in the local area is a measure of control that consumers have found comfort in.
In 2020, support for independents soared as they delivered value in the form of a unique offering, personalised shopping experience and reliability for the customer. An anxiety that persists from the pandemic and ongoing climate crisis, localism is only set to grow in popularity in the years to come — in fact, recent research by ThoughtWorks found that only half of Britons (49%) expect to buy their food from supermarkets or major retailers in the future.
09 | Tasty upcycled food
According to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization, 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted or lost every year. It’s a daunting figure for food waste, especially given the surging human population that requires more food and more land for agricultural purposes.
Clearly, keeping everyone fed in the future will require radical changes. Towards eco-consciousness and financial saving goals, exploiting the full potential of our food is going to become the new normal. However, it doesn’t have to come at the expense of enjoyment.
Already, leaders in the field are exploring the potential of upcycled food, encouraging a shift in our eating habits and a vast reduction of food waste. And it’s tastier than you might think: from vegetable stems turned into chips, or surplus bread turned into a probiotics drink.
Looking ahead
In 2023, brands that stick to the status quo will struggle to impress. On the flip side, those who make the leap towards more circular practices and strive to support the consumers they serve will reap the rewards of deeper relationships.
We’re entering a new phase in design — one that places experience at the core and takes into consideration the wider societal issues we’re facing on a whole. In this era, unlocking value will require a deep understanding of the evolving needs of consumers. To get ahead, brands must map out the aspirations and priorities of their audience and innovate accordingly.
We’re Rodd
The front end of innovation and design is a risky but hugely exciting space. We can help you navigate the pitfalls and unlock key insights to take you forward.
Our user research and foresights combine our appetite for understanding consumer needs and aspirations, with our fascination with the changing pattern of global macro trends.
For teams looking to break new ground and venture into a more ethical economy, our insights provide the clarity and empathy you need to move ahead.
Let’s find your new way forward.
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