Consumer Lifestyles in Belgium

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

All natural features appeal more than premium or gourmet

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