Mintel in the Media – this week's highlights

Mintel in the Media is a weekly review, bringing together a selection of the most high profile press stories showcasing Mintel’s data and analysis from around the world. Highlights this week include:

US

• Time Magazine: A nation in need of a pick-me-up: our need of caffeine. According to Mintel’s Millennials Leisure Trends US February 2013 report, 39% of consumers say they don’t have enough leisure time.
• MarketWatch: Huge rise in pre-approved credit card offers. As the economy rebounds, credit-card solicitations are on the rise–direct-mail pitches increased by 18.5% in the first quarter of 2013 over the previous quarter, according to the Mintel Group.
• MediaPost Marketing Daily: Scotts Lawn Service: what will the neighbors think? Chicago-based Mintel, in a 2012 sector report, said that the market is growing slowly but that respondents to a ServiceMagic (now HomeAdvisor) survey done in 2011 showed that about a third of people use lawn and garden services twice a month, and nearly as many use them once a week. Over half of respondents said they intended to regularly use these types of service for seven months or more.
• Palm Beach Post: What attracts people to a particular restaurant? As restaurants across the nation gear up for a busy Mother’s Day weekend, Chicago-based Mintel has released some findings about what attracts customers to a particular establishment. According to a new report from Mintel; cleanliness (96 percent), menu selection and variety (94 percent) and comfortable seating (91 percent) are the most important components of creating a visit-worthy atmosphere at a restaurant.
• Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Liquid drops a popular new way to add flavor to water. Jenny Zelger, a beverage industry analyst at market research firm Mintel, says that in a bottled-water report survey of 2,000 people, 32 percent of respondents had used liquid beverage mixes. Fifty-nine percent of men ages 18 to 34 and 40 percent of women in the same age group reported having used the water enhancers.
• Happi Magazine: What’s new in skin care? According to Shannon Romanowski, beauty and personal care analyst with Mintel, Chicago, IL, multi-functional skin care products such as BB creams and CC creams dominate new skin care launches.”Products that promote skin care and cosmetic benefits while providing sun protection provide consumers with a versatile all-in-one skin care option,” she told Happi. “Mintel’s consumer research indicates that 59% of female facial skin care users are interested in products that provide coverage and skin care benefits.”
• Food Technology Magazine: Stevia product launches surge in Europe. In fact, according to latest research by Mintel on natural sweeteners, the widespread rollout of products containing stevia resulted in a 400% increase in launches globally between 2008-2012 and 158% between 2011-2012.

APAC:

• Yahoo! News (Malaysia): Rising alcohol levels give wine lovers a headache. In Britain, according to Chris Wisson, a senior drinks analyst at Mintel, the low-alcohol wine market is worth 23 million pounds ($36 million, 27 million euros) with strong growth pushed by government taxes on alcohol and health concerns.
• China Daily: Stronger wines, a connoisseur’s headache. In Britain, according to Chris Wisson, a senior drinks analyst at Mintel, the low-alcohol wine market is worth 23 million pounds ($36 million) with strong growth pushed by government taxes on alcohol and health concerns.
• MSN (New Zealand): Consumer tastes changing alcohol levels. In Britain, according to Chris Wisson, a senior drinks analyst at Mintel, the low-alcohol wine market is worth STG23 million ($A34.98 million) with strong growth pushed by government taxes on alcohol and health concerns.
• The Korea Herald: Rising alcohol levels give wine lovers a headache. In Britain, according to Chris Wisson, a senior drinks analyst at Mintel, the low-alcohol wine market is worth STG23 million ($A34.98 million) with strong growth pushed by government taxes on alcohol and health concerns.
• Japan Today: Rising alcohol levels give wine lovers a headache. In Britain, according to Chris Wisson, a senior drinks analyst at Mintel, the low-alcohol wine market is worth STG23 million ($A34.98 million) with strong growth pushed by government taxes on alcohol and health concerns.
• China Daily: McDonald’s to open 200 more Mcafes. According to research firm Mintel, the Chinese mainland market for packaged coffee products has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 18 percent a year since 2007 and could rise another 75 percent to 16 billion yuan by 2017.

UK

• Financial Times: The professional pull of the peel. Like oil and water, men and skincare have found it hard to mix. “We were promised an explosion in the men’s market for years but it never really materialised,” says Vivienne Rudd, head of beauty and personal care research for Mintel. “Men’s skincare grew 3 per cent in 2011 and is unlikely to surpass this.”
• The Guardian: The stakes are high in the ‘TV everywhere’ land grab. According to Mintel, online consumption of movies (digital downloads, subscription streaming and video on demand (VOD) transactions) has more than quadrupled in the past five years and the trend is set to continue as faster broadband services are made available to more homes across the UK.
• BBC Mundo: El auge de los puristas del cacao. La firma de análisis de mercado Mintel dice que “un grupo importante de consumidores es cada vez más refinado en lo que respecta a la elección del chocolate y busca activamente la alta gama de marcas”.
• Chinadaily Europe: McDonald’s to open 200 more Mcafes. According to research firm Mintel, the Chinese mainland market for packaged coffee products has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 18 percent a year since 2007 and could rise another 75 percent to 16 billion yuan by 2017.
• Fabulous: Meet the YAPs. 79% of 16-24 year olds now love to bake from scratch.*Mintel
• The Sun: Captain Crunch. 22% say they have been better off over the past year, according to consumer researchers Mintel
• Irish Examiner: Why fashion and feminism are no longer mutually exclusive. Furthermore, recent findings from the market research group Mintel conclude that the UK menswear industry is worth £10.4bn with a further 11% growth potential by 2017.
• The Sun: ‘Boob job’ bikini. Tamara Sender, of market research experts Mintel, said: “There has been growing demand for push-up bras — and clearly now beachwear — as women look for a quick-fix solution without surgery.
• BBC Radio Scotland: Broadcast. Interview to Richard Perks, Director of Retail Research at Mintel, on Home Retail.
• Beverage Daily: Europe must learn from the US on stevia, says Mintel. While stevia products have boomed in Europe, manufacturers should follow the US trend of blends if growth is to continue, a Mintel analyst says.
• Weight Watchers: For his eyes only. A massive 60%of adults now drink cider, according to figures from the analyst Mintel, compared with 47% 2 years ago.

EMEA:

• France 24: Rising alcohol levels give wine lovers a headache. In Britain, according to Chris Wisson, a senior drinks analyst at Mintel, the low-alcohol wine market is worth 23 million pounds ($36 million, 27 million euros) with strong growth pushed by government taxes on alcohol and health concerns.
• Food & Drink Business Europe: Stevia Sweetens Up Europe. According to latest research by Mintel on natural sweeteners, the widespread rollout of products containing Stevia resulted in a massive 400% increase in launches globally between 2008/2012 and 158% between 2011/12.
• Cosmetic Design Europe: The hottest trends from the in-cosmetics trends presentations, 2013. Emmanuelle Moeglin, Mintel, demonstrated the importance of fragrance when consumers choose personal care products.
• Journée Vinicole: La crise mettra-t-elle à mal l’avenir du Champagne? Les perspectives de développement du Champagne sont-elles compromises en Grande-Bretagne du fait de la montée en puissance des autres effervescents ? C’est ce que laisse présager une nouvelle étude réalisée par les analystes Mintel.
• Intravino: Un terzo degli intervistati non trova grandi differenze tra Prosecco e Champagne. Astenersi provocatori.  Lo afferma la Mintel’s British Lifestyles, un’agenzia specializzata in ricerche di mercato che ha di recente pubblicato i risultati di migliaia di interviste ai consumatori. Il campo di indagine era, ovviamente, il cambiamento di abitudini e spesa in tempo di crisi.