Even though grocery prices are high, it’s always more economical to eat at home than in a restaurant. In fact, it’s three-to-four times cheaper to eat at home, said Joe Derochowski, Circana vice president and home industry advisor, at The Inspired Home Show 2023.

That’s a message worth repeating as sellers of home and housewares products look for ways to connect with consumers in inflationary times.

As shoppers continue to face higher grocery prices, they’re using multiple tactics to reduce or reallocate weekly food spending, like trading down to private label items, buying in bulk, using more leftovers or choosing a quick-service restaurant over a full-service restaurant, according to Circana food and beverage analysts at their annual Growth Summit last week.

The increased desire to buy in bulk, prepare large batches of food and make better use of leftovers is backed by the recently released HomePage News 2023 Consumer Outlook Report, produced in partnership with IHA. Respondents said they intended to buy food storage items more than any segment within the storage/organization category in 2023 (44%). In fact, food storage was up three points over last year’s survey.

What’s more, it appears that many of those consumers are looking for ways to cut down on restaurant visits for breakfast or lunch as they return to offices for work. Of Consumer Outlook Survey respondents 74% said it was very or somewhat important that food storage be designed for portability.

Other than food storage, retailers may want to emphasize items that help consumers eliminate food waste and make better use of large batches of food. Products associated with vacuum sealing, canning and freezing are a few examples.

Derochowski also encouraged the industry to think about how existing appliances like air fryers or toaster ovens can be upgraded or marketed to consumers as a way to make leftovers taste better.

It’s important to remember that inflation is affecting consumers differently and to make sure you’re speaking to the needs of your target audience when choosing your assortment, marketing and pricing.

For instance, a Numerator survey found that, overall, purchasers of home and housewares are feeling less secure than a year ago. But when you peel back the layers, as Numerator practice director Peter Greene told attendees at The Inspired Home Show 2023, it tends to be older people, people with lower incomes and people in rural areas who are really feeling the pinch. Younger generations, those with an income over $100,000 and those in urban areas tend to be less concerned, he said.

Products to consider to support consumers’ need to eat at home: 

• • Nesco Classic Vacuum Sealer VS-01 – Keep food fresh up to five times longer when you prepare large batches in advance and save the leftovers.
  • Cuisipro Reusable Bags – These silicone storage bags are 100% plastic-free and leakproof. They can even be used in the oven, microwave, sous vide, dishwasher, fridge and freezer.
  • FRESHWRAP by The FRESHGLOW Co – Single-use plastic wrap is a thing of the past with these reusable and washable self-adhesive wraps made of cotton and beeswax. They’re even infused with organic botanicals to help keep food fresh longer.
  • Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass and Plastic Food Storage Containers by Rubbermaid – Clear plastic lids with StainShield™ plastic make these stain- and odor-resistant. They also feature 100% leak-proof seals and built-in vents that allow steam to escape so you can microwave them splatter-free.

 

Recordings of education sessions from The Inspired Home Show’s Innovation Theater can be found here.  

 

In a victory for knowledge workers, it appears that hybrid work arrangements are increasing—and may be here to stay. But as many people return to the office—or now find themselves juggling two very different types of workdays, they’re finding themselves with new daily challenges at home.

From an employee standpoint, hybrid work arrangements offer the best of both worlds. The option to work from the comfort of home some days, but also have the opportunity to collaborate in-person on other days. Many workers are saying yes, please.

But the return to the office itself—in addition to the fluidity that hybrid work arrangements offer—can be difficult to adjust to. So many parts of our daily routines are different when we’re working from home vs when we’re going into the office, especially when it comes to meal prep, cooking and eating.

Simply put: It’s an area ripe for opportunity for those selling and making home and housewares products.

“People crave routine,” says Joe Derochowski, vice president and home industry advisor for Circana (formerly The NPD Group). “But how do you create routine for breakfast, lunch and dinner on days you go into the office and days you don’t? Consumers are trying to sort it out, and they’re looking for inspiration.”

Global Data

Of global knowledge workers, 39% will work hybrid by the end of 2023 (up from 37% in 2022), according to data just released from Gartner, Inc. In the U.S., this trend will be even more pronounced, with 51% of knowledge workers projected to be hybrid.

It’s important to note that remote and hybrid work arrangements have increased in every country since 2019, and hybrid appears to be trending now over fully remote options, according to Gartner.

But there are different attitudes and realities in different countries and parts of the world. For example, the number of fully remote and hybrid knowledge workers in the U.S. is projected to be 71% by the end of 2023. That percentage is expected to be 67% in the U.K., 49% in Germany and 29% in Japan.

Addressing the Need

The tension hybrid workers are feeling right now comes from looking to establish a rhythm on their different types of days, especially when it comes to breakfast, lunch and dinner. What’s more, time is even more of a hot commodity, as is convenience.

When it comes to time, the 2023 IHA Market Watch survey found that consumers who are most driven by time concerns are those 25-44-years-old. This tends to be the age group that is juggling busy work schedules, kids’ activities and possibly caring for aging parents.

“There are so many challenges right now related to time that are ripe for smart home innovation,” says Derochowski.

While those on the supplier side focus on that part of the equation, retailers may want to consider enhancing their assortment with items that speak to time and convenience. Consider the Rise by Dash Egg Bite Maker, which allows office workers a quick and easy way to prepare a protein-packed breakfast for on the go. For meals at the end of the day, an attractive new option is the Multo smart cooking vessel from Cooking Pal. It performs 15 different cooking functions including cleaning.

How to make packing an adult-friendly lunch easy and efficient? Those looking for a flexible, all-in-one solution will appreciate items like the Planetbox Leakproof Lunch (which includes a removable, microwave-safe tray) and the Harvest Bowl from Bindle Bottle (which includes multiple leak-proof compartments for dressing, dry toppings or other ingredients).

Inspiration is also a big part of the equation. Recipes for quick and tasty weeknight meals will be much appreciated, as will tips and creative hacks for streamlining routines on different days.

Retailers may want to consider marketing and merchandising that speaks to consumers’ home challenges due to hybrid work, as well as any services that make shopping, pick-up or delivery faster or more convenient.

Regardless of where consumers buy a product, social media is playing an increasingly important role in purchase decisions. Whether inspiration or product discovery, information-gathering or purchase, it’s a topic that came up again and again at The Inspired Home Show 2023.

“The battle right now is really for share of mind,” said Joe Derochowski, vice president and home advisor at Circana (formerly The NPD Group), in a keynote session that referenced lower consumer confidence levels and high inflation. “If (the home and housewares industry) can inspire people using different mediums, that can create a lot of growth.”

It’s no surprise that beauty is the only industry projected to increase year-over-year sales in 2023, said Derochowski. That industry is all over using social media to boost product discovery and inspiration, and has been for some time.

No matter where you are in your social media marketing, there’s plenty of opportunity for home and housewares retailers and brands to take advantage of this growth opportunity. After all, home and everyday life make up a good part of organic social media content to begin with.

What’s more, “We’ve seen that 61% of folks on TikTok have developed a new appreciation of their homes coming out of the pandemic,” said Anita Desai, TikTok head of home & living, in her Innovation Theater session. “Sixty-six percent have a home they want to be a place where friends and family gather. And nearly 80% want to put more money into their homes next year.”

Over on Pinterest, 72% of new pins on the platform have to do with food or drink, pointed out Tom Mirabile, principal of Springboard Futures, in a keynote session on the state of the industry.

On TikTok, the most popular communities in the home space have to do with cleaning, organization and renovation, reported Desai. The top five are: #CleanTok (69.5 billion views to date), #Clean, #Cleaning, #Renovation and #Organize.

The challenge is how to creatively get the message out, but there’s also the added bonus of having consumers who can easily spread the message or tell the story for you. Authenticity is especially important here, as is entertainment.

Social media is also a perfect venue to address the lifestyle benefits of products you carry. Forty-four percent of consumers in Mirabile’s 2023 Consumer Value Index said lifestyle benefits are extremely or very important when considering a home or housewares purchase, “a high percentage for something that’s generally not listed on the package,” he commented in his keynote on consumer values.

It’s also a place where home and housewares products that are already on the market can be re-positioned to speak to consumers’ current priorities of wellness, time, space, experience and responsibility, said Leana Salamah, IHA vice president, marketing.

“On TikTok, brand entertainment drives an infinite cycle of discovery, consideration, review and participation,” said Desai. Path to purchase isn’t linear, she added; it’s an infinite loop.

And while there’s an increasing number of direct purchase options on social media, recent polls show consumers prefer a balanced mix of in-store and online shopping.

When evaluating home and housewares products, Mirabile’s Consumer Value Equation found most consumers do an equal amount in-store and online (43%), though the remaining people skew more heavily toward online (23% said slightly more online and 14% almost all online vs 14% slightly more in-store and 8% almost all in-store).

TikTok’s data tells a similar story:  77% of all shoppers prefer a hybrid shopping experience.

Desai’s overall assessment? “Consumers are done with shopping as a chore,” she said. “Two out of three Millennials and Gen Zers say it’s important to have fun while shopping.”

 

Audio and video recordings of many education sessions from The Inspired Home Show 2023 will be posted in the next week or two.

Both art and science are important factors in the color and design trends influencing home and housewares right now, said color expert Lee Eiseman in her keynote address, The Art of Living: Directional Color/Design Trends, at The Inspired Home Show 2023.

Eiseman, who is director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training and executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, shared the insights and inspirations that went into creating the seven palettes in the Pantone®View Home + Interiors 2024, which were unveiled in the Show’s Pantone ColorWatch display.

“Being alive is an apt metaphor in a time when we are still, and we really are, emerging from the anxiety that has engulfed us in the last few years,” said Eiseman. “We can’t ignore that. We know that no matter where we are in this ongoing process, it’s left an indelible and emotional mark on our lives that seeks relief, renewed optimism and rejuvenation.”

Art is an important part of that healing, as it allows us to use our imaginations to visualize new ideas or to express emotions, she explained. Science is important because it provides the very explanation for life itself and how lifeforms are created, evolve and are sustained.

Both art and science played a role in the selection of the 2023 Color of the Year, Viva Magenta. That hue, which Eiseman described as a nuanced crimson red that balances both warm and cool colors, reflected both the influence of digitized art and a very small, but powerful creature – the cochineal beetle who produces carmine dye – one of the most precious, strongest and brightest in the natural dye family.

When it comes to art, Eiseman says she’s particularly interested in the resurgence of surrealism, which portrays “dreams as an escape from reality.” The style often incorporates unique color combinations that “dare to be different.”

Trending artforms that are more nature-based include regenerative design, which often offers a creative and quirky mix of colors, designs and materials that “bring new life to anything that is abused, under-used or otherwise neglected.” There’s also Storm Chaser artwork that captures landscapes at tumultuous, but very colorful, moments in time.

She’s also watching how cuisine is often elevated to an artform, especially when it comes to baking and cocktails/specialty beverages.

When it comes to science, water – an essential source of life and energy to many lifeforms – is emerging as a theme in several ways. One is literally in terms of the popularity of the blue palette, which is often associated with clarity, health and balance. Another is in the popularity of products coming from ocean-related materials, whether seaweed or clay from the powdered shells of sea creatures. There’s also the continued popularity of pearlized finishes and metallics, which evoke the undulating motion of water.

Sustainability or nature-based color and designs continue to resonate, as does anything related to health and wellness.

Entertainment is one of the many industries Eiseman studies for future color trends and preferences. In this year’s session, she cited the latest Avatar movie – whose theme involves water; an upcoming sequel to Disney’s “Inside Out” – where each character or emotion assumes a color; and “Despicable Me 4,” which incorporates traditional blacks and whites, with a wide range of supporting colors.

She also noted that the colors in many of the action-adventure games that remain popular are definitely darker. While those colors are not for everyone – the lighter or mid-tone colors remain most popular – it’s important to note that some people may be more comfortable with them.

Eiseman closed her session by detailing each of the seven Pantone®View Home + Interiors 2024 palettes unveiled at the Show. Each one speaks to a different way consumers can move forward in our post-pandemic world in a tempting, positive and deeply human way.

• Sustenance – This palette reflects “the rituals of entertaining and dining that never goes out of style,” said Eiseman. It evokes feelings of creative cooking, love and laughter, and the joy of sharing. It involves greens, blue-greens, a yellow-green, some deeper tones and a suggestion of pink.

• Replenish – Eiseman called this “a water-born palette,” which involves many shades of blue but also incorporates apricot and pink to add “a touch of newness.” Evoking thoughts of self-care, hydration and calming bath rituals, it’s all about life balance and rejuvenation.

• Creative Mixology – Every color family is represented here – even earth tones – in this palette that Eiseman called “great fun.” This palette is all about individuality and experimentation, allowing for free-spirited aesthetics and the mixing of old and new.

• Sanctuary – For those who want softness and steadiness, Sanctuary offers relaxation and harmony with several pastels, mid-tones and a deeper, chocolate-like brown. It inspires a simple environment, where smart technology solutions are hidden underneath the surface.

• Stylist – Inspired by fashion crossovers, this combination features many blues and blue-greens, but also incorporates metallics, which add a sheen and “the feeling of undulating water.” This palette feels both traditional and contemporary and has universal appeal.

• Surrealism – Consumers looking to escape from the everyday with unexpected and unusual color combinations will likely appreciate this one. Described as “illogical, quirky and witty,” Surrealism evokes feelings of an uninhibited dream state.

• Scenic – Inspired by the prismatic hues in nature’s light spectrum, this palette is dynamic and visually arresting (think flashes of lightning, bold sunsets, reflections of bright colors on clouds). Pinks and purples combine with oranges and orange-pinks, as well as some earthy tones for a “quite beautiful” effect, Eiseman said.

 

As the world gradually moves from pandemic to endemic, consumers are prioritizing wellness, but they also value time, space, experience and responsibility said the IHA Market Watch authors at a keynote session at The Inspired Home Show 2023. The session incorporated data from the just-released 2023 HomePage News Consumer Outlook Survey and the 2023 IHA Occasions Report, as well as a sneak peek at the 2023 IHA Market Watch Report, which will be released in late March/early April.

Following record sales while the pandemic led many people to spend so much time at home, “This industry is at a unique inflection point where it needs to speak a little louder and where it needs to try to win share,” said Peter Giannetti, editor-in-chief of HomePage News, who moderated the discussion. “It can do so by understanding the consumer and driving innovation in product, marketing and merchandising.”

Giannetti was joined by IHA Market Watch authors Leana Salamah, IHA vice president, marketing; Tom Mirabile, principal of Springboard Futures; and Joe Derochowski, vice president and home industry advisor for The NPD Group.

Reflecting IHA’s consumer-centric approach of the last few years, “The emphasis in the coming year should be not so much on what we can create, but why we should create it,” said Salamah. “We should be asking ‘What need is it solving?’ or ‘What viewpoint is it delivering on?’

“Positioning is also a huge piece of responding to consumer values,” she added. “It doesn’t have to just be about new products. Sometimes taking something that already exists and repositioning it or thinking about how it fits into some of these pillars can be just as effective as wholesale new product development.”

The five pillars or driving forces that were the focus of the IHA Market Watch Survey 2023 were: time, space, experience, wellness and social responsibility.

Wellness emerged as the overwhelming top pillar or driving force for consumers this year. When asked which was most important to them at home, 47% said wellness. That was followed by time (19%), experience (14%), space (11%) and responsibility (9%).

Respondents ranked mental wellness as slightly more important than physical wellness, as they did in 2022. Salamah said wellness actually encompasses all the Market Watch pillars and that the “really critical” importance of wellness has come through in a number of recent IHA consumer surveys.

When it comes to time, consumers who are most driven by time concerns are those 25-44 years old. This tends to be the age group that is juggling busy work schedules, kids’ activities and possibly caring for aging parents.

“There are so many challenges right now related to time that are ripe for smart home innovation,” said Derochowski.

In fact, the Market Watch survey showed higher intent to buy smart home products in 2023 compared to last year. Respondents said they would be most interested in smart products that had auto-cleaning features (52%), followed by detecting or ordering parts (51%), coordinating meal elements (49%), detecting ingredients or suggesting recipes (49%) and counting calories or macros (47%).

When it comes to space, those who value it the most are 35-44 years old and have an income level of $50,000 or less. This leaves significant opportunities for storage and organization products, as well as affordable and versatile home décor, said Derochowski.

Consumers (especially younger ones) are open to renting home and housewares products, which may be a way for them to try new things and express themselves in different ways while not conflicting with their space challenges. “They want access, not ownership,” said Mirabile.

As for experience, the home and housewares industry also has a lot to offer consumers who value experience but may not be spending as much discretionary income in 2023. Thirty-five percent of consumers plan to entertain at home more in the coming year, according to the Occasions survey.

Data so far in 2023 supports that trend as sales of products such as beer and cocktail items, fondue sets, popcorn makers, slow cookers and pie servers are especially strong, said Derochowski.

Consumers say their biggest challenges related to entertaining are post-event clean-up, preparing everything to be ready at the same time and general meal prep, according to the Occasions Survey.

Responsibility continues to be important to consumers when it comes to home, though the Market Watch survey found it to be most important to consumers 55 years and older.

Salamah said this was a little surprising, given the attention that younger generations tend to give to environmental concerns. When they dug a little deeper into responses from young people, she found that price differences or lack of convenience may cause them to rate responsibility issues lower. “I think that begs the question, ‘How do we remove barriers to entry for them?’” she said.

The panel agreed that home and housewares products could address more than one of the five pillars or driving values discussed in the session. “Think of it as a checklist,” said Mirabile. “The more pillars you can check off on any given item, the more you’re going to sell.”

 

A video recording of the program will be posted on the Show’s website at www.theinspiredhomeshow.com/education/#keynotes. 

While there are many factors influencing consumers’ perception of value these days, trust and quality emerged as the two most important in new research revealed by IHA’s trend expert Tom Mirabile at The Inspired Home Show 2023.

Mirabile, principal of Springboard Futures, gave a keynote session, Consumers In Control: Insights & Imperatives for the New Economy, to reveal the 2023 Value Equation Index – new research highlighting the most important elements influencing consumers’ purchases of home and housewares products today. The survey of 1,200 U.S. householders was conducted just two weeks ago as a joint project between Springboard Futures, Project Partners Network and The Trend Curve.

Trust emerged as consumers’ #1 consideration when purchasing home and housewares products. When choosing a retailer or brand for those purchases, 22% said trust was extremely important, 37% said very important, 37% said somewhat important and only 2% said not important at all.

Reputation for reliability/durability influenced their trust the most (60%), followed by prior personal experience (47%). (Respondents could select two factors.) Recommendations from others came in next (28%) indicating “we’re delegating trust to other people” to some degree, said Mirabile.

Brand remains a significant aspect of trust, with 88% saying brand is extremely, very or somewhat important. For newer companies or even legacy brands looking to mix things up a bit, Mirabile pointed out that brand partnerships and licensing agreements are “an opportunity to reinvent yourself constantly.” These relationships are probably under-utilized in the home and housewares industry, he added.

Quality came in as consumers’ #2 most important consideration when purchasing home and housewares products. Durability (59%) and reliable performance (51%) were by far the top two factors in determining quality, followed by safety (21%), ease of use (19%), minimal care (16%) and material composition (13%).

 

Among the other factors influencing consumers’ perceptions of value today are:

• Price – When it comes to price, waiting for a promotion was most likely to influence a purchasing decision (39%). But free shipping/returns was a close second at 34%, a category that Mirabile said jumped from last year’s survey. The ability to earn loyalty rewards also increased its influence from 2022.

• Convenience – The pandemic created new standards for convenience that aren’t going to go away, said Mirabile. Home delivery/store pick-up remained an important factor here, coming in as the #2 most important factor at 43%.

• Ratings & Reviews – While there’s definitely some skepticism of online ratings and reviews, consumers find negative reviews to be the most helpful for two reasons, said Mirabile. One is because they give brands an opportunity to respond or handle them publicly, and the other is they make positive reviews seem more authentic or genuine.

• Lifestyle Benefits – Mirabile often encourages housewares brands to think about “What’s the message (about lifestyle benefits) beyond what a product does?” and to include that on packaging or in online content. Respondents rated wellness (46%) as the top lifestyle benefit they’re looking for, followed by family & friends (34%), learning new skills (33%) and emotional health (30%).

• Shopping Experience – Most consumers say they do an equal mix of shopping in-store and online (43%), though the number of those who skew one way or the other tends to lean more heavily toward online only (37% vs 22%). “The opportunity here is to excite consumers in-store,” Mirabile said.

• Responsibility – Social responsibility is trending up in importance, and environmental responsibility is trending down. But that doesn’t mean environmental concerns are going away, he said, they may just be taking a back seat to other more pressing concerns right now.

• Data privacy, safety and security – 75% of respondents said privacy, safety and security was extremely or very important.

A video recording of the program will be posted on the Show’s website at www.theinspiredhomeshow.com/education/#keynotes.

 

Surging home goods sales during the pandemic, shortages, inflation and recessionary fears have changed how consumers spend money, but that doesn’t mean they’ve snapped shut their wallets and purses. Consumers responding to the HomePage News 2023 Consumer Outlook Survey had a continuing interest in spending on their homes, though not at quite the same level as they expected heading into last year.

The second annual HomePage News 2023 Consumer Outlook Survey, commissioned in partnership with the International Housewares Association (IHA), provides data that, by design, can help retailers and their suppliers get a sense of where their opportunities lie in 2023 and who may be the most prepared to spend in home merchandise categories.

The resulting HomePage News 2023 Consumer Outlook Report provides a detailed guide that home goods retailers and suppliers can use to help them plot their course for the coming year. Data from the study can help set strategic efforts on a firmer footing as retailers and vendors strive to bolster demand, target shoppers most enthusiastic about purchasing, generate consumer satisfaction and gain market share.

With detailed charts and exclusive analysis, the comprehensive report throws a spotlight on consumer purchase decision factors affecting 18 key home and housewares categories: Bakeware, Cleaning Tools, Cookware, Cutlery, Dinnerware, Drinkware, Flatware, Floor Care Electrics, Glassware, Home Environment, Kitchen Electrics, Kitchen Textiles, Kitchen Tools & Gadgets, Luggage & Travel Accessories, Outdoor Living, Personal Care & Wellness, Pet Accessories and Storage & Organization.

Outlook Survey results showed housewares purchase intent decreases year over year were generally rather small — ranging from declines in purchase intent from 1% to 4% depending on category. For many of the home and housewares categories covered by the survey, 50% or more of consumers said they are very or somewhat likely to make purchases in the coming year.

“After a period of high demand during the heart of the pandemic, a slight pullback in demand across core home and housewares categories is not surprising,” said Peter Giannetti, IHA’s director of editorial, content & education and editor-in-chief of HomePage News. Suppliers and retailers should be encouraged, however, that intent to purchase remains relatively strong as 2023 progresses. The HomePage News 2023 Consumer Outlook Report reveals an industry that historically has performed well during economically challenging times at an inflection point, ripe once again for new product innovation, creative marketing and well-curated merchandising to drive the next wave of demand.”

With shoppers facing inflation and recessionary worries, some market research has emerged suggesting that consumers who had begun to shift spending to service sectors were reconsidering and even scaling back spending plans in those sectors— and they find more ways to enjoy their households, he added.

The readiness to spend is particularly strong among consumers who would be the go-to person for a housewares or home goods purchase.

The HomePage News 2023 Consumer Outlook Survey gathered key purchase data from an online survey conducted by Morning Consult of 4,000 adults living across the United States. The survey, conducted in late November, 2022, touched on several demographic variables to approximate a target sample of adults most likely to purchase home and housewares products.

For each featured category, the survey revealed which housewares products consumers plan to buy; retail channels in which they expect to shop; key product attributes and lifestyle factors expected to influence their purchase choices; and the potential impact of inflation on their purchase decisions.

 

View the complete Homepage News 2023 Consumer Outlook Report Here

Leading retail executives, market data analysts and consumer trend and color forecast experts will share their home and housewares industry vision in special keynote presentations during The Inspired Home Show 2023.

The Show will be held March 4-7 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex. The keynotes are set for Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Room S102 in the South Building. The hour-long sessions will be held at 1 p.m. each day and 10 a.m. on Sunday. Admission is free to all Show attendees.

In the Show’s opening keynote, Julie Barber, executive vice president, general merchandising, Walmart U.S., and Justine Van Buren, general manager, home goods, Walmart Marketplace, will examine how Walmart has adapted to meet the needs of its customers in a presentation entitled Winning in an Evolving Retail Landscape at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 4. Barber and Van Buren will dive into Walmart’s growth as a true omnichannel retailer; explain how Walmart is using both owned and marketplace-offered merchandise to become even more relevant for customers; and describe how to be successful in today’s omni world.

Other keynote sessions will focus on exclusive IHA data on consumer values, insights on consumer expectations that drive purchasing and a look at the inspiration, clarity and meaning to future color and design trends. They feature veteran IHA trend forecasters and keynoters Leatrice Eiseman, director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training and executive director of the Pantone Color Institute; and Tom Mirabile, principal of Springboard Futures, along with industry experts Joe Derochowski, vice president and home industry advisor for The NPD Group; Leana Salamah, vice president, marketing, International Housewares Association; and Peter Giannetti, editor-in-chief of HomePage News.

Here is a detailed schedule of the keynotes:

 

Saturday, March 4

1 – 2 p.m.

Winning in an Evolving Retail Landscape

Julie Barber, executive vice president, general merchandising, Walmart U.S.

Justine Van Buren, general manager, home goods, Walmart Marketplace

Join Walmart executives Julie Barber and Justine Van Buren to learn how Walmart has adapted to meet the needs of its customers. Dive into Walmart’s growth as a true omnichannel retailer; hear how Walmart is using both owned and marketplace-offered merchandise to become even more relevant for customers; and understand how to be successful in today’s omni world.

 

Sunday, March 5

10 – 11 a.m.

State of the Housewares Industry/IHA Market Watch

Leana Salamah, Tom Mirabile, Joe Derochowski, Peter Giannetti

Join the authors of the IHA Market Watch report for a lively discussion of the consumer values and demands that are driving purchases as consumers evolve from pandemic to endemic in 2023. Coupled with hard data from the extensive IHA/HomePage News Consumer Outlook survey, this session will provide suppliers with insights to help prioritize product development and rethink marketing/positioning of products and provide retailers with insights to drive sourcing decisions and merchandising strategies in the year ahead.

 

1 p.m.-2 p.m

Consumers In Control: Insights & Imperatives for the New Economy

Tom Mirabile

Whether you’re on the shifting sands of supply side or the front lines of retail, an emphasis on the consumer is essential. Still, staying focused can be difficult with today’s incessant storm of new, sometimes conflicting, information. It’s time to take a fresh look at the crucial elements of success as Mirabile discusses The 2023 Value Equation Index. In this enlightening national survey, home and housewares consumers reveal what creates value for them and which expectations will drive their spending in 2023 and beyond.

 

 

Monday, March 6

1 p.m.-2 p.m.

Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman

The Art of Living: Directional Color/Design Trends

As featured in the Pantone View color forecast, the theme titled “the Art of Living” offers inspiration, clarity and meaning to future color and design trends. Providing direction and insights on design and color palettes, this presentation clearly defines consumers’ needs and motivations in a challenging time. Eiseman will feature and explain the appropriate harmonies, moods and hues that will resonate for your clients or customers.

 

For more information on the keynote sessions, visit https://www.theinspiredhomeshow.com/education.

Creating strategies for success in the current economic marketplace will be the focus of this year’s presentations in the Innovation Theater at The Inspired Home Show 2023, March 4-7 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Innovation Theater sessions will explore such topics inflation’s influence on the housewares consumer; directional dining and drinking trends; purchasing in a digital world; new packaging concepts; looking at history to forecast the future of housewares; export operations, procedures and compliance; and the state of the travel goods industry.

The Innovation Theater continues its commitment of bringing relevant, topical and actionable content to the Show at a time when the housewares industry wants and needs such information, direction and inspiration. The theater is located in Room E350 in the Hall of Global Innovation in the Lakeside Center. Sessions will be held Saturday through Monday.

Sessions on Saturday, March 4 begin at 11:30 a.m. running through 3 p.m., leading off with Anita Desai, head of Home & Living at TikTok, discussing Discovery to Purchase in a Digital World. The rise of digital commerce has accelerated in the past two years in almost every consumer facing industry, especially for home products and retailers. Digital platforms like Instagram, TikTok and other social media channels doubled-down with full-funnel commerce offerings from discovery through purchase. Consumers are learning, sharing and buying products online now more than ever.

Other Saturday sessions include:

• 2024 Householder Trends: A View of the Year. As climate change, global inflation and mass disruption to supply chains will have a direct impact on everyday lives and bank balances, there will be a redefinition of home from “nest” or “family hub.” Kate Usher of TrendBible will explore what’s driving change in the Home & Interiors industry in 2023 and beyond and discuss the key shifts impacting the way householders will think, feel and act.

On Sunday and Monday, March 5 & 6, sessions run from 9:30 a.m. through 3 p.m. Sunday sessions include:

• Inflation’s Influence on Housewares Consumer Behavior. Prices are rising on everyday goods and services leading some consumers to cut back on non-essentials while others look for small indulgences to lift their spirits. Peter Greene of Numerator will explain how inflation is impacting the housewares industry and what it means for consumer spending in the face of a potential recession.

• Food and Flavor 2023-24: Directional Dining and Drinking Trends and the Home & Housewares Consumer. Trend and economic forecasters agree that the current financial climate will cause consumers to spend more time at home again, including for dining and entertaining, but at an amplified desire for newness and adventure. The hunger for something fresh is poised to translate into a demand for new tastes, tools and techniques in the kitchen and on the table. Consumer insight expert Leigh Ann Schwarzkopf of Project Partners Network will examine the latest food and flavor forecasts, covering everything from ingredients, cuisine and nutritional trends, through new directions for sweets, savories and beverages.

• State of the U.S. Travel Goods Industry. Beth Goldstein of The NPD Group examines how pandemic-related consumer behaviors and priorities are impacting the U.S. travel goods market. Learn about the categories, brands, channels and items driving growth and/or declines.

• PFAS Regulation & Housewares Update. Fran Groesbeck of The Cookware and Bakeware Alliance will lead a panel discussion offering an overview of PFAS chemicals used to make a wide range of housewares products and what those across the industry need to know about new legislation requirements related to PFAS and how to adapt.

The theater concludes on Monday with these sessions:

• Back to the Future: Looking at History to Forecast the Future of Housewares. Consumers are past the lockdown life, gone through much of their revenge spending and now are living in inflationary times. Where will there be growth opportunities? Joe Derochowski of The NPD Group will provide a forecast for 2023 and talk about growth opportunities by taking a look back in history at consumers’ behaviors during past challenging economic times. He also will review current trends inside and outside of the Home + Housewares industry.

• New Directions in Licensing & Branding: Essentials for Businesses of Every Size & Shape. A panel of industry experts, including Leigh Ann Schwarzkopf of Project Partners Network and Tammy Talerico of Church & Dwight, will explore all that is new and next in the booming business of licensing and branding. The panel will reveal how licensing can enhance consumer confidence and drive customer loyalty, supporting the core identity of both retailers and suppliers.

• Export Operations, Procedures & Compliance. For companies considering export sales for the first time, Thomas Cook of Blue Tiger International will offer a broad scan of what and how to address export compliance; for seasoned experts, this will offer a thorough compliance cross-check. Topics include export supply chain, documentation, managing export trade compliance, export regulations, Incoterms, export licensing, license exceptions, export case studies, recordkeeping, electronic export information and other government agencies involved in the export process.

• Retail 360: Redefining the Customer Experience. The Global Innovation Award judges Wolfgang Gruschwitz, Scott Kohno and Henrik Peter Reisby Nielsen discuss key elements of a successful retail operation in 2023, offering updated expert advice on functions from store planning and marketing to visual merchandising and the use of digital technologies.

The Inspired Home Show, IHA’s global home + housewares marketplace, will be held March 4-7 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex. For more information about the 2023 Show and to register for a Show badge, please visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com/register.