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Ankorstore experts predict the key product trends for 2023
7 February 2023
We’re already off to a busy start in 2023, with tradeshows taking place and new-season stock starting to fill shelves of independent retailers’ stores across Europe. To help you get set for the year ahead, we’ve asked the category experts at Ankorstore to share their top product trend predictions.
2022 was marked with plenty of global and economic uncertainties, which show no signs of slowing down in 2023. Despite this, independent retailers continue to show their resilience in the face of adversity and consumers’ love of local remains as strong as ever. Pricing is the key factor to consider in 2023, with pockets being squeezed throughout Europe, having a strong pricing strategy is essential for continued independent growth.
Lea Pillot
Summary
Trend predictions from the Ankorstore experts
1. Sustainability: the trend that’s more than just a trend
With ever-growing awareness of the impact our decisions today can make on the world of tomorrow, consumers are prioritising sustainability and eco-conscious choices in every aspect of their daily lives. This mindset shift represents more than just a passing trend, and will be a mainstay in consumer values today and in the future.
Guillemette Renoul, Home & Kitchen Category Manager at Ankorstore, explains: “Across all product categories, customers want to buy more and more eco-friendly items. This doesn’t mean organic products only, but sustainable materials and reusable products too. Besides sustainability, there is a huge trend towards using natural materials, such as wood, stone, and plants, in home and interior design. These materials are often seen as being more sustainable and bring a natural, organic feel to a space. In terms of colours, green will continue to set the tone in 2023, together with oranges and new reds as well as gold.”
2. New packaging and emerging ingredients for beauty and fashion sectors
The fashion and beauty industries will continue their shift to reduce their carbon footprint to meet consumer demands of buying more thought-conscious pieces. Selfcare has been high on the beauty agenda since 2020 and will continue to be important to your customers, new ingredients such as sea moss bring a fresh take on this product category.
Luisa Aísa Castillo, Beauty & Fashion Category Manager at Ankorstore, comments: “Packaging is a key topic in 2023 as it’s a major contributor to the beauty industry’s carbon footprint, making Net Zero design a priority. In 2023, the fashion industry will also continue to replace synthetic fibres and materials with recyclable, bio-based and biodegradable innovations to lower the overall impact of fashion. We also expect the trend to prioritise self-care with pampering products to continue in 2023. Look out for sea moss, which is emerging as the new key beauty ingredient due to its applications in skincare and haircare, offering new opportunities for brands and retailers.”
3. Quality products top parents’ wishlists
The sustainability movement stretches down to our mini counterparts, with those buying for children citing quality and locally made items as the most important factors to their purchasing decisions. Wooden toys will continue in popularity and recycled materials are also being introduced into the kids’ market to offer more sustainable options for consumers.
Camille Monzein, Kids’ Account Manager at Ankorstore, adds, “As can be seen in other categories, the new trends for 2023 in the kids’ sector are sustainable products, ethical toys and above all, locally manufactured brands. End consumers are looking for better made and quality products for their children. We’re also seeing a trend towards products made from recycled materials with the emergence of several new brands across Europe in past months.”
4. Sober-curious products and premium foods dominate the grocery sector
The sober-curious trend has been bubbling under the surface for some time, with more and more consumers questioning their relationship with alcohol. This has made way for a plethora of new non-alcoholic drinks being developed in the grocery sector. Healthy drinks also continue to be important as consumers’ continue the pandemic-induced search for optimal health. With rising costs of living, gourmet groceries will continue in popularity as a treat for customers.
Cyrielle Domerg, Food & Drinks Category Manager at Ankorstore, explains: “We expect to see an increase in regards to low-sugar, healthy, fizzy, plant-based brands in 2023. It’s a trend that began in 2022 and marked a turning point in the beverage world. Non-alcoholic drinks for aperitifs (verjuice, mead, non-alcoholic spirits) have been democratised and will continue to play a major role in consumers’ entertaining activities. French know-how on aperitifs (spreads, crisps, crackers) is at the top of the sales list and very popular among European retailers, who devote a large section to this category in their shops. Although we predict 2023 to be a challenging year for retailers due to inflation and energy prices, premium groceries will remain appreciated by customers.”
At Ankorstore, we know it’s essential for independent shop owners to set the right course for their product assortments to allow them to not only survive, but thrive in 2023. Discover over 30,000 European brands on our platform now and get inspired with a unique range of products.
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