The Covid19 pandemic has definitely reinforced the conscious need for Wellness & Wellbeing all around the world, and even more so in China. The recent events have modified the Wellness concept both in its nature and in its range of applications. Lifestyle, beauty, sport, food, home furniture, technical appliances – all are concerned by these changes.
1 – Wellness through the quest of a new home atmosphere, or the evolution of the ‘Zhai’ culture
Chinese people are clearly eager to invest more time, money and efforts in building a comfortable, happy, pampering & smart home. The pandemic has further accelerated the quest and usage of intelligent appliances, new cozy home furniture, smart health products, interior design pieces, ambiance fragrances, etc.
The TMall Live Chic campaign, “The chic-ability of your home” encouraged young people to share their chic interior design to showcase their taste and imagination, as well as the lifestyle they pursue.
2 – Physical & Mental Wellness Through Fitness
The Covid-19 pandemic has boosted the fitness trend in many major cities. The use of fitness apps has soared during confinement and is projected to continue doing so in the mid-term.
The number of users of the ‘Keep’ training app has significantly increased in the past 6 months. It now registers over 200 million users and 3.6 billion user exercise data entries.
During the lockdown, NIKE has launched a breakthrough channel dedicated to “Exercising without leaving your home”. By collaborating with Tencent Kandian Live Streaming, Nike launched weekly live training courses via Kandian Live Streaming mimi program on WeChat. Users can enjoy the interactive experience of a professional fitness guidance at home, turning their living room into a gym.
3 – Wellness through Pampering and Taking Care of Oneself
Although still quite new to China, the self-care concept is certain to evolve further post-Covid. The anxiety triggered by the pandemic remains high 3 months after the end of lockdown and has fostered the need for self-pampering and little treats, in order to escape from a troubled daily life.
Social isolation caused by quarantine created loneliness and stress. Caring for one’s skin became a physically and mentally healing moment that made people feel self-love. Consumption of facial cleansing products, facial masks, toners and lotions soared. Among these, the use of facial masks has increased the most, reaching +12%. (Research data by CBNData)
“Put down your phone and get to know yourself” is also an emerging trend boosted by lockdown. Creativity has been on the rise, as a potent stress-reliever.
“During self-quarantine I spent quite some time at home mending old things or finding new uses for them. Used clothes became a washing machine cover; glass bottles were turned into wind-bells. I enjoyed the process of “creating things”, because it gave me a pleasure and a sense of accomplishment that I cannot get from the virtual world. I can truly feel myself in this real world.” – male, 32, Shangdong province.
4 – Wellness For the Skin, Through Healthier Diet
The pandemic has reinforced the link between nutrition & health, and between skin health and nutrition. What has changed is that ‘food that is good for health’ is getting more integrated in Chinese eating habits.
Searches on keywords such as “immunity, nutrition and health, coarse grains” have increased significantly. Healthy and functional snacks is gradually becoming a hot consumption trend among young people.
The newly launched “collagen peptide dry fruit” snack is BESTORE’s (良品铺子，Liang Pin Pu Zi – a well-known high-end snacks brand in China) first attempt to enhance nutritional elements of snack. Collagen peptides, being relatively small molecules, are easier to digest and absorb, and have beauty-enhancing benefits.
5 – Wellness Through a Better Balance Between Professional Success & Immediate Happiness
In China as elsewhere, quarantine was an opportunity for many to take a step back and really think about the meaning of life and work. More and more people started considering finding meaning and fulfilment elsewhere than in their job. As working ‘like a robot’ became less appealing, many started to wish they could create something different.
“Youth Losers’ farm” in Chong Ming Island (part of Shanghai) is a group of young Chinese citizens which left big cities to set up a farm. They learned agricultural methods and live on the product of their crops. Since the end of the lockdown, some of them have decided to live a “half farmer, half X” life, and some of them plan to definitely leave the city behind and stay on the farm for several years.
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