Father’s Day give us all the chance to celebrate and show appreciation for the father figures in our lives – be it dad, granddad, your brother, mum or other guardian. But retail brands often need to compete for a decent share of the market around this time.

Need a helping hand? Read on for some key consumer trends that could lead your brand towards success this Father’s Day.

Health and wellness
We live in a much more health-conscious world than we did several years ago. Many more of us are adopting diet and fitness regimes, cutting out smoking and drinking habits and being kinder to our skin. And dads are certainly no exception, so it’s time to provide the goods without the guilt.

You’ve probably noticed the veganism trend is spreading like wildfire, with many people converting to this plant-based diet – both for the environment and for personal health.

A recent Waitrose survey revealed over a third of the UK population are cutting down their meat consumption, and Mando reports that 85% of shoppers are actively working towards an overall healthier diet.

We can also expect shiny new consumer technologies like probiotics and health-monitoring devices to rise in 2019, alongside a growing community of DNA-based dieters. According to Mintel, 42% of UK consumers are looking towards a more personalised diet – based on their DNA – by using products like probiotics.

So, what does this mean for Father’s Day? Those traditional, indulgent gifts for dad – like alcohol and naughty foods – could now be more of a burden than a lovely surprise. While burgers and BBQ food have always been favourites for Father’s Day lunch, this year, vegan alternatives like meat-free burgers could be the key to pleasing dad.

Experiences not things
Consumers are showing less and less interest in material things and valuing experiences instead. While lifestyle spending is expected to grow by 3.1% this year, and holiday spending by 4%, retail growth is predicted to grow by just 1.7%.

The growing experience economy is certainly important for Father’s Day, with researchers revealing that modern day dads spend much more time with their children than just two generations ago.

Experiential gifts – like a day trip or something like a new recipe or kitchen appliance for family cooking – are especially popular with millennial dads who are looking for ways to build stronger emotional connections with their families. It’s safe to say that today, ‘father and son’ or ‘father and daughter’ time is precious.

Challenge accepted
In line with the experience economy and digital detoxing, consumers show a growing desire to set personal goals and take on new challenges – maybe in extreme sports or a charity challenge.
Director of trends for Mintel says:

“Consumer comfort zones are expanding as they become more willing than ever to experience new adventures and push themselves to the limit.”

This desire to discover new passions and hobbies is big for dads – once their children are older, they have more time for themselves. Many middle-aged men admit to feeling restless and keen to ‘do more’, and as a result of this, often turn to new hobbies .

MAMILS (Middle Aged Men in Lycra) are cropping up left, right and centre – taking part in cycling, marathons, triathlons. In fact, most cyclists on the road this year are men between the ages of 40 and 49.  

The Guardian reports on last year’s MAMIL documentary, explaining how this personal change provides men with a “new way of enjoying life, complete with new challenges and friendships”. These physical hobbies give dad the adventure he is seeking, so gifts that support dad’s latest hobby, or allow him to try his hand at a brand new one, could go down a treat.

Male grooming
Beauty is no longer seen to be just for women. As society starts to embrace a genderless future, men are progressively showing a bigger interest in cosmetics and personal care.

Google searches like ‘skincare for men’, ‘beard oil’ and ‘hair dye for men’ have increased year-on-year for the past five years. And buying behaviour tells a similar story, as skin care sales grow by 16.5% year-on-year from male consumers alone.

According to Kantar, British men spent twice as much money on face masks in 2018, 25% more on hair removal products and 5% more on hair styling products, with a total of 19.7% treating themselves to a grooming treatment. It looks like pampering treatments for dad probably wouldn’t go amiss.

Personalisation
Consumer demand for customisation has been growing for a while. In a Survey from before Father’s Day last year, a personalised gift was on the cards for 46% of shoppers. And according to Google Ads, ‘personalised Father’s Day gift’ was searched a total of 51,200 times between May and June last year – over 15,000 more than the year before.

We predict for this year, consumers will be on the hunt for gifts that create memories, stir emotions or bring up funny moments (like things that only dad does).

While the typical personalised mugs and t-shirts are bound to perform well again, brands should aim to push the boat out and offer something a little more exciting, emotive and truly personal, to celebrate dads who’re all unique.