Bec Lobo Correia is an experienced writer and creative professional with a wealth of experience worldwide, including London, Lisbon, and Seoul, South Korea. They currently balance their passion for filmmaking with their pursuit of writing on topics such as international subcultures, multimedia industries and contemporary activism.

Speed and convenience have become the consumer norm. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, when people worldwide were introduced to instant access to goods and services via apps and digital platforms, the supply and demand considerably grew and splintered. The 'I need it now' culture shows no signs of slowing down, yet the complexity around it is becoming more apparent.

Hyper-fast digital services appeal because they fulfil a ballooning desire for instant gratification – contemporary convenience hinges on easy-to-use interfaces that help consumers seamlessly meet their needs. However, the mechanics of consumerism are complex. People are becoming aware of global supply chains, especially in the wake of wars and escalating global conflict. As many brands are cracking down on immediacy (introducing higher delivery fees or offering it as a premium), people are turning to local and smaller-scale shopping for more mindful, slower, grounded spending.

The cost of living crisis makes people reconsider which of their needs are truly immediate, but it's not the only reason some crave a slowdown. The hyper-fast society enables our desires to be fulfilled instantly but might be too fast for our mental health. While convenience used to be a cool thing to have, now it has become essential to function in the current attention economy. People are tormented by a lack of patience and chronic dependency on stimulation from platforms like TikTok – yet the rewards of convenience easily outweigh the concerns.

Compulsive Convenience

Amna Khan is a senior lecturer in consumer behaviour and retailing at Manchester Metropolitan University. She’s an alumnus of Alliance Manchester Business School and received a prestigious corporate PhD scholarship from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. She has since become a go-to consumer behaviour and retailing media expert, speaking to national and international media, key institutions, and major retail brands.

United Kingdom

Shopping

Home and garden

Statista

Interview with Amna Khan conducted by the author

Retail Gazette

Insight DIY

Internet Retailing

Uber Direct

The Times

KPMG

This is Money

Alvatia Watch

Fintech Finance News

Interview conducted by author

Business Money

Deliveroo may be known as a brand of choice for Britons who want to get their food fixes quickly, but the delivery giant is entering the hardware arena with a Screwfix partnership. As local on-demand services win over consumers, brands are stepping up their game to give them what they’re after.

Cultivate

Life Efficiency

Why Deliveroo and Screwfix provide on-demand hardware