Daniel Ian Comandante is a cultural desk researcher at Canvas8. As part of the Toolkit team, he unpacks consumer behaviour and the latest trends to help companies uncover unique insights. A graduate of De La Salle University, Manila, with a degree in marketing management, he has an extensive background in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and e-commerce marketing industries. He also has comprehensive experience in becoming a conduit between brands and consumers, forecasting retail, consumption, and global shopper trends. Outside of work, you can find him diving deep into his favourite directors’ filmography, reading books on pop culture and film, or taking long walks with his dog.

We’re witnessing the ‘wellnessification’ of absolutely everything. Beyond boosting their physical health with fitness and nutrition, people are looking for a path to being well in all aspects of their lives, including their finances, careers, activism, spirituality, home design, tech usage, and so much more. The global health and wellness market is expected to reach over $8,945.3 billion by 2032, while self-improvement and the quest for reprieve and relaxation have become integral to all areas of our lifestyles.

Wellness was once for the elite, expressed through a Goop-like look and lifestyle. But now a more fragmented definition of wellness is on the rise, encompassing people’s diverse backgrounds and distinct needs. In a society ruled by high stress and burnout, what was once considered a baseline are now status symbols: sleep is a luxury, glucose monitors signal exclusive healthcare, and sob parlours offer curated spaces for catharsis. People are embracing more radical forms of wellness, employing minor plastic surgery and weight-loss drugs as a means of control over their lives.

Wellness is rapidly reaching new demographics across generations. Exhausted by the permacrisis, Gen Z is rejecting more traditional, buttoned-up wellness movements in favour of little treats, girl dinner, ‘bedrotting’, or ‘rat snacking’ as forms of self-care with a sense of release. At the same time, longevity is becoming a priority as Gen X and Boomers rethink wellness to suit their needs. Some are taking up clubbing as a way of keeping an active lifestyle, while others are looking for nuanced approaches like menopause diets to support the changes that come with age. A desire for more bespoke wellbeing is driving an increase in health hacking – whether through technology or prioritising socialising with peers.

Being+

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)

Germany

Eating and Drinking

Citizenship

While younger Germans are more open to consuming plant-based meat products than older demographics, they still have doubts about alt meat’s health benefits. Brands have the opportunity to offer Gen Zers products that offer both quality taste and safety assurance. 
