Feelgood Revolution (EN)

Superfoods, sleep tracking and skincare routines – awareness surrounding health has increased in recent years. People are taking better care of their bodies, eating healthier, exercising more and abstaining from drinking alcohol. Campaigns such as «Dry January» are making it clear how health has moved into the public consciousness. At the same time, the pressure exerted on us by time, performance and optimisation has increased, causing stress that can lead to illness. To meet the high expectations people place on themselves and their environment, restless individuals rush from one appointment to the next. Time-related stress has become a mass phenomenon that affects women and younger people in particular. This has led to a growing need for a more relaxed pace of life, mental well-being and self-care e.g. through yoga and meditation courses, collagen drinks and natural cosmetics.

The GDI study «Feelgood Revolution» describes how the new wellness economy is emerging where the nutrition, health and beauty sectors converge. The upshot is a trillion-franc market that is bigger than IT, sports and tourism. Sporting goods manufacturers are opening fitness centres, food producers are expanding their functional beverage ranges while cosmetics companies are buying longevity clinics. The study analyses how traditional industry logics are shifting and how food, cosmetics and medicine are becoming a part of holistic well-being. Consumers are no longer just looking for products that make them feel full, healthy or attractive, they want all-in-one solutions that meet all these needs at the same time. Whereas people used to go to the doctor, today they can visit a barber shop offering blood pressure analysis in addition to face massages. 

In the Feelgood Revolution, well-being is becoming the frame of reference for consumer and life decisions. A representative survey of over 3,000 people in Germany, Austria and Switzerland reveals that almost everyone finds physical and mental health important, and just under half of respondents consider nutrition, health and appearance to be relevant at the same time. Based on the survey, the study identifies four Feelgood types (Strugglers, Achievers, Balancers and Agnostics), each of whom have different attitudes and motivations, and outlines the implications for industry, service providers, hospitality and retail. The core contention is that wellness is not a generational but a mindset issue. 

However, the pressure to optimise health, fitness, appearance and longevity can itself become a stress-inducing factor. The Feelgood Revolution is a response to feeling overburdened but at the same time part of the problem. As health is being transformed into a private consumer project, the social gap widens. That is because wellness is not inexpensive. Stays at longevity clinics and diagnostic packages cost a lot of money and take up a great deal of time. To ensure wellness does not become a privilege reserved solely for the wealthy, the study calls for brands, providers and politicians to bear this new responsibility – wellness should not become a commodity, but a public good. Solutions and services must be designed in such a way that they are not only accessible to a well informed and affluent clientele, but instead wellness should be available to everyone. Ultimately, it’s all about finding the right balance – moving away from constant self-optimisation and self-control towards relaxed everyday practices that both provide pleasure and instil discipline.