CONSUMER TRENDS

Global consumers prioritise spending on health and wellbeing – report

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025

Increasingly, people want to find more balance and are seeking self-knowledge, discovery and new lifestyle choices, annual VML study finds.

VML, which claims to be the world’s biggest creative company, has released the 11th edition of its The Future 100 report which analyses trends across 14 countries and predicts how these will impact business and culture in the years ahead.

Photo: VML

The research team has found conflicting desires of digital innovation versus analogue pursuits, fear for the future versus hope for society, and simpler living versus out-of-this-world experiences. 

 

What’s Stressing Us Out 

 

Globally, people cite the cost of living, violence and crime, and war and unrest as the top three concerns facing society today, pointing to stress as a major challenge to human wellbeing.  

 

Unsurprisingly, violence, crime and the cost of living feature prominently for South Africans too. SA is one of the 14 markets surveyed by VML for the latest report. 

 

Unemployment is the biggest concern among South Africans, with 74% of local respondents naming this factor among the five most pressing issues facing society. Unemployment also topped the list of responsibilities that South African respondents believe companies hold, followed by cost of living and poverty. 

 

Prioritising Wellbeing  

 

The desire expressed in last year’s report for deceleration has evolved into a more proactive quest for self-knowledge, discovery and new lifestyle choices, the researchers say. 

 

Globally, consumers are prioritising spending on health and wellbeing to find some balance. A third of South African respondents are spending more on their health and wellbeing, while only 15% report cutting back in this area.  

 

“In a world that seems out of control, looking after oneself can feel tangible and manageable,” the researchers comment. 

 

South African respondents long for a simpler existence. An amazing 95% agreed (70% strongly) that they wish life could be simpler sometimes. This is well above the 87% of global respondents, of which only 44% agreed strongly.  

 

Generationally, Millennial respondents are the generation most craving simplicity (73%), followed by Gen Z at 69%. Gen X and Boomer respondents were not far behind though, at 65% and 61% respectively.  

 

“As South Africans, we face many of the same challenges as the global community, yet we’re also deeply impacted by unique local issues – chief among them unemployment and poverty,” observes Parusha Partab, Chief Strategy Officer at VML South Africa.  

 

“In fact, unemployment and poverty are even bigger concerns for South Africans than for many around the world, and these issues are something we face every day in a very real way. Brands that can alleviate these burdens – by offering accessible solutions or simplifying daily life – can foster stronger loyalty and improve brand equity.” 

 

Meanwhile, nearly 70% of respondents globally, and two-thirds of South African respondents, indicated that they are “actively looking to buy or own less stuff”. This is a particularly resonant sentiment following the frenzy of the country’s annual December summer holidays, presenting brands with a challenge to adapt to the budget-conscious, yet purposeful, consumer.  

 

When it comes to alcohol, 49% of South African respondents indicated they are cutting back on spending – either ‘somewhat’ or ‘greatly’.  

 

The Future 100 ushers in a year of possibilities, where new realities are in the making, human potential is being redefined, lifespans are extended and a new creative economy is emerging thanks to technological advances,” comment Emma Chiu and Marie Staford, the Global Intelligence Directors at VML who authored the report. 

 

You can read the full report here.

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    Dr Kin Kariisa

    Group CEO - Next Media

    Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
    With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
    Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

    Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

    Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

    • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
    • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
    • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
    • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.