Vital start to 2023 and run on hospitality industry

Were they New Year’s resolutions or just a sense of guilt after Christmas? Whatever the reason, the Netherlands got moving as the old year drew to a close. More Dutch people started exercising and getting active outdoors. At the same time—despite concerns about energy prices and higher expenses in general—we continued to dine out en masse. This is according to the Consumer Behavior Monitor, an initiative of Validators and VU Amsterdam.

We started the year off on an active note: 41% of Dutch people swapped their sparkly dresses and Christmas sweaters for workout clothes to exercise once or twice a week (Week 50: 31%). The number of people exercising three to four times a week also rose from 11% (Week 50) to 16% (Week 52). For outdoor activities such as a walk in nature, the group that never does so was smaller than before: from 31% in week 50 to 22% in week 52.

New Year's resolutions

Perhaps New Year’s resolutions were a driving force behind this focus on fitness. After all, exercising more is the most commonly cited resolution for 2023 (41%), along with the desire to have “more time for yourself” (41%). Eating and drinking healthier and spending less money tie for second place (37%). Finally, 12% say they want to quit smoking.

Daan Muntinga, strategy director at Mensch: “Anyone who starts (or quits) something every January 1st knows all too well that there’s a huge gap between intentions and behavior. Starting is one thing, but how do you stick with it? How do you stay off cigarettes; how do you make sure it doesn’t stop after just a few sessions on the exercise bike? Many of us could use some help sticking to our New Year’s resolutions. Brands that can do this credibly would do well to support us in word and deed.’

A good example of a brand that is currently gaining momentum with a fitting new brand campaign is Holland & Barrett. Under the slogan “Live with the power of nature,” the brand aims to raise awareness of the importance of spending time outdoors and the vitality that nature provides. This same natural energy is then linked to various product categories.

Restaurants are rarely this busy

In addition to or after exercising, we also spend a lot of time in the hospitality industry. 38% of Dutch people have spent money on restaurant visits and takeout in the past two weeks. Young people (ages 18–34) eat out most often: 50% visited a restaurant or picked up a meal. The hospitality industry is also noticing that people are going out regularly again. Earlier this week, nu.nl reported that the industry’s revenue has returned to pre-COVID levels. However, costs have risen significantly due to higher energy and procurement prices, as well as staff shortages.

Marcel van Brenk, Partner at EY VODW: “If you look at really big cities like New York or London, you see that very few people cook at home. Many people don’t even have a kitchen, partly because of the high cost per square foot. An article appeared in the Financial Times showing that people were spending more money on dining out than on groceries. We previously referred to our continued mass dining out as ‘dancing on a volcano,’ but it could very well become a new trend in the Netherlands.”

Every turbulent economic situation poses a challenge to the status quo. During the pandemic, hospitality entrepreneurs were put to the test in terms of their ingenuity and creativity. New ways of ordering and delivery emerged, high-end fast food appeared, and restaurants and suppliers became business partners. Even now that things are returning to business as usual, new behaviors are emerging. Anyone wanting to dine at a good restaurant in the Randstad must make a reservation weeks in advance. Often with a time slot, a habit left over from the pandemic. Spontaneous dinners have thus become a rare moment of joy.

Smart business owners keep their guests around longer by offering those who stay for the late-night slot the chance to enjoy a drink and a dance. As soon as the last desserts are finished, tables are expertly cleared away and the DJ starts warming up the crowd with some upbeat tunes. The strict division between café, restaurant, and nightclub is blurring, making way for more hybrid forms of hospitality.

We’re curious to see how this surge in restaurant visits will play out, given that many people say they want to eat and drink more healthily and spend less money. We’ll keep you updated in upcoming editions of the Consumer Behavior Monitor.

This article is also available on MarketingTribune.

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