Table of Content

Consumer landscape 2021
Life priorities
Belgians put high value on spending time with their partners
Time for work low on list of Belgians’ life priorities
All cohorts prioritise favourite activities, while Gen Z choose friends
Curated and tailored experiences, services and products highly valued
Baby Boomers particularly appreciate uniquely tailored products
New products and services selected over preference for branded goods
Younger generations more likely to want to engage actively with brands
Home life
Belgians are frequently connecting with friends/family online
Gen Z are big video gamers and hobbyists, along with Baby Boomers
More women than men want outside space and proximity to transport
After safe location, Baby Boomers focus on energy efficiency
Eating habits
Home cooking is favoured over ordering food from foodservice outlets
All generations prefer home cooked; fewer Boomers use ready meals
Superior taste more important than price for Belgian consumers
Gen Z shows strongest inclination towards a flexitarian diet
Nearly half of respondents eat their meals at the same time each day
Younger generations have more varied meal times, especially Gen Z
Working life
Job security and earning a high salary appeals equally to Belgians
Home working appeals more to Millennials than it does to Gen Z
High salaries the most important work-related feature for Gen Z
Expectations to work from home in future lower than global average
Gen Z prioritise flexible start and finish times over working from home
Sustainable living
Climate change is a key concern for nearly 60% of respondents
Younger generations have strong feelings about climate change
Reducing food waste is top of the agenda for Belgian consumers
Gen Z focus on reducing carbon emissions; Boomers on food waste
Purpose-driven brands/companies do not resonate strongly with Belgians
Energy-efficient products used more by older generations
Lower % of Belgians buy from brands that are aligned with their values
Younger cohorts will boycott brands that do not share their beliefs
Leisure habits
Socialising online has been a lifeline, but day trips are still popular
All generations have high levels of interaction with friends online
Leisure shopping not as popular as meeting up with friends
All cohorts frequently enjoy meeting up with friends to socialise
Gen Z and Millennials take the most domestic and cross-border trips
Shopping is low on the list of important features for Belgian travellers
All generations want to find a way to relax when they go on vacation
Health and wellness
More Belgian women take vitamins/supplements every day than men
Group fitness classes not as popular as cycling as a form of exercise
Cycling more appealing than running as a regular exercise to Gen Z
Use of sleep aids much lower than global average
Millennials are the most active users of stress-reduction techniques
Shopping habits
Belgian consumers seek out local products and services
Consumers are looking for high-quality products and buying less
Consumers far less likely to rely on reviews on social media networks
Gen X are equally influenced by friends/family and independent reviews
Convenience is the biggest motivation for subscription services
Consumers more motivated to shop in stores to see and try goods first
Younger cohorts far less motivated to shop in stores to see and try first
Consumers motivated to shop online by free delivery and best prices
Older generations more motivated by best price than Gen Z
Technology
Belgians not as comfortable sharing their data or communicating online
Gen Z more focused on cultivating their personal brand online
Households have slower adoption of smart appliances/virtual assistants
Belgians have not adopted wearables at same level as global consumers
Belgians frequently use social networks, but spend less time video gaming
High percentage of Gen X and Baby Boomers spend time browsing online