October 1, 2021 – According to the Amex Trendex1, a trend report from American Express, consumers surveyed in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Mexico, India, and Canada are investing more time and money in their physical and mental health to combat the toll the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on their well-being. More than two-thirds (69%) of consumers surveyed indicate that their mental health has been impacted by the pandemic – either by isolation restrictions or concerns for well-being – and 66% agree that the pandemic has encouraged them to spend more money on items or experiences that help with their overall mental wellness.
Consumers are Spending Money More Mindfully
Sixty percent of consumers surveyed agree they have spent more on wellness products than they did a year ago.
- Their purchases span across diet and exercise with natural vitamins and supplements (39%), in-home fitness equipment (31%), and organic food (30%) ranked as the top three items that consumers surveyed have spent more money on over the past year
- These are also the same top wellness items that adults surveyed plan to spend more money on in the future: natural vitamins and supplements (35%), organic food (24%), in-home fitness equipment (19%)
- Consumers surveyed are also spending on experiences as 76% of survey respondents agree that they want to spend more on travel to improve their well-being
Wellness Is a Priority for All, but Looks Different Around the World
The majority of adults surveyed (78%) agree that they are working on more goals tied to health and wellness than in previous years and 70% agree that they plan to try a new wellness or fitness activity to improve their well-being.
- The majority of adults surveyed would choose to have stronger mental health over a new car (76%) and over two-thirds (69%) would give up their favorite TV show for it
- Surveyed consumers say exercise (51%) and getting a good night’s sleep (40%) have the greatest positive impact on their mental health
- Consumers surveyed rank managing news consumption (30%), changing their diet (29%), and managing social media consumption (27%) as having the greatest positive impact in supporting their mental health
- Social media has also become a resource for many: 6 in 10 survey respondents indicate that their social media feeds have filled up with more wellness content over the past year and 28% have spent more time this year exercising with social media videos or classes
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Travel Is Good for the Soul: Consumers Find Happiness in Making Plans for Their Next Trip
Consumers’ desire and appreciation for travel is strong as 81% of consumers surveyed agree they value the freedom to travel more now than they did prior to the pandemic and 88% agree that travel helps them improve their mental health.
- 62% of consumers surveyed want to go on vacation to relax and unwind and 55% say they would be willing to pay extra for wellness activities on future vacations
- Once there, consumers surveyed are most interested in exploring the outdoors (53%) and this is especially heightened among respondents in Mexico (66%), US (58%), Australia (54%), Canada (65%), and the UK (53%)
- The benefits extend beyond the trip itself as 85% of consumers surveyed agree they feel most restored after traveling
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What is the Amex Trendex?
The Amex Trendex is a trend index that tracks how consumers, small businesses, and merchants are feeling about spending, saving, traveling and more. Data is sourced on a monthly basis in the United States and biannually globally, including in the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Mexico, India, and Canada.
Methodology
1This Amex Trendex online poll was conducted by Morning Consult between September 9-15, 2021, among a national sample of 2,000 general population travelers in the United States and 1,000 in Japan, Australia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India. The audience is defined as those with a household income of at least $70K who traveled by air at least once in 2019. Results from the survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
