Fit For Purpose

Changing legislation offers a range of opportunities in the health sector

- Rachel Thompson

With government striving to pass legislation to create a National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme to serve all South Africans, the country’s health and wellness market is in flux. Along with the global trends reshaping the sector, this is a recipe for massive change and disruption that could have wide implications for consumer brands in every segment.

A GfK Consumer Life study – which includes 1,000 South African respondents representative of the online population – pinpointed three major trends. These developments do not only affect health-related brands, such as pharma, medical aid, private health and wellness companies, but also create threats and opportunities for brands in categories as diverse as consumer tech, food and beverages, entertainment and domestic appliances.

Seeking relief

One of the trends among consumers in many parts of the world is rising anxiety, social stress and concern about safety and security. In South Africa, concerns about crime and worries about technology are helping to intensify feelings of insecurity among consumers, with 73% of the survey sample saying they are always concerned about their safety. This is up from 56% in 2017.

Consumers are seeking relief from the anxiety and stress they experience in their day-to-day lives. They are looking for products and services that make them feel safer and healthier – a trend that is apparent across all categories. People are looking for products that help them feel secure and in control at all times – for example, driver details, peer review and minute-by-minute control of the ride are major pluses of Uber.