A nationally representative survey has shown that 84% of the UK population feel there should be a greater focus on self-care following the effects of Covid-19, says Hearst UK. Meanwhile, two thirds of people living in the country are open to or have already increased their investment in health and wellness over the last 12 months. This is backed up by a large increase in purchases of wellness products like running shoes, yoga mats and massage guns on Hearst UK’s health brand sites in 2020, with Women’s Health reporting a 515% growth in e-commerce revenue year-on-year.
The full findings of the research – which examines consumers’ approach to health and self-diagnosis – was unveiled at Hearst UK’s ‘The Shift to Self-Care’ webinar hosted on Wednesday 31st March. As part of the webinar, it was revealed that 25-34-year-olds have led the way when it comes to focusing on mental health, with 25% of that group dedicating more time on improving their mental wellness.
In-depth social listening conducted by Hearst UK also indicates the online conversation around mental health has grown exceedingly during the last 12 months, with a 115% increase in social mentions relating to reducing anxiety and stress in the UK. Social mentions of mental health tips in the UK have shot up by 190% during the same period and, in the last year alone, YouTube has seen a 215% increase in content uploads dedicated to self-care.
Ollie Lloyd, Head of Client at Hearst UK, said: “The last year has seen an unprecedented change in attitudes when it comes to health and wellness, and our latest findings offer some really interesting insights when it comes to understanding consumer needs in the current climate. These attitudes have been reflected by Hearst UK brands like Men’s Health, Women’s Health and Runner’s World, who collectively have seen a growth of 37% in people accessing their wellness content online, while a 27% rise in print subscriptions for those same titles also tells a similar story.”
However, continues Hearst, whilst the UK population believe more focus is needed on self-care and are evidently craving content around the subject, the pandemic has brought about some form of uncertainty and confusion when it comes to finding reliable and credible wellness information. Indeed, since the outbreak of Covid-19, almost six in ten (58%) consumers currently feel the sheer scale of health-related content has become overwhelming.
“Considering the level of uncertainty amongst consumers looking for health advice at the moment, you could argue there’s never been a better time for wellness brands to partner with industry leaders that deliver reliable and data-driven wellness content,” added Lloyd. “Trusted brands like Men’s Health, Women’s Health and Runner’s World have played a huge role in providing expert content for consumers at a time when they need it most.”
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