Quirky products lift recession-hit shoppers

Flavour changing confectionery and wasabi flavoured chewing gum are among the fun products launched globally in the past year that have boosted consumers’ moods during the recession, according to Mintel.

While shoppers still felt pessimistic, they had been looking for ways to transform their lifestyles and lighten the mood, said Harry Foster, global analyst at market researcher Mintel. “At the end of last year, we knew 2009 was going to be difficult for people across the globe. But we have seen that optimism has steadily balanced out stress and economic hardship.
“The first half of the year was especially challenging, but with tentative, recent green shoots of recovery, we expect people’s attitudes to brighten considerably in coming months. Consumers have a resilient ability to stay positive amid tough circumstances.”
Helping people achieve the balance between necessity and pleasure, global manufacturers have been releasing quirky, light-hearted new products. “Today, playfulness offers people a way to escape, engage and build relationships with brands,” added Foster.
Examples of such quirky products include Changing? a boiled sweet launched in Japan by Kanro. It is claimed that the sweets undergo a flavour change in the mouth upon consumption. Changing? comes in three flavours including Apple, Grape and Soda, which transform to new tastes that can be identified on the back of the product’s pack.
Other developments include Sage Flavoured Water from Coca-Cola under the Avra Herbal brand, which was launched in Greece, and Wasabi flavoured chewing gum - launched by Accoutrements in Canada.