When times are tight, it’s natural to want to get the most of what we’ve got. Who wants to throw out fresh food they paid good money for? Or put down hard-earned money on clothing or furniture just because they’re looking a little run-down?
It’s a great time for retailers to help consumers with resourceful living by offering home and housewares products that extend the life of our food, clothes, furniture and parts of our homes.
Food
Cutting back on food waste is a top environmental and social concern for many people these days. And so is not wasting our hard-earned grocery spend. Think about adding to your assortments (and/or boosting marketing and merchandising of) products that help consumers extend the life of fresh food.
There are a number of new, as well as tried-and-true, products such as:
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- Fruit Fresh® Crisper Drawer Liners from Grand Fusion – A food safe additive in these easy-to-clean liners slows the ripening process by absorbing ethylene gas.
- FRESHMILL Herbz – You can store fresh herbs in this mill in the freezer…and then use it like a pepper mill to grind herbs on your food.
- FoodSaver Multi-Use Vacuum Sealing and Food Preservation System – This product combines the power of a heat sealer with the convenience of a retractable handheld vacuum sealer.
The wellness portfolio in the HomePage News InSight™ Trend Index 2023/24 also includes more items for preserving fresh food.
Clothing
We’ve all had that favorite shirt that loses it shape or sweaters that pill. Not only are they often hard to replace, but who wants to waste money buying a new one when there’s nothing else wrong with it? It’s often a matter of few inexpensive adjustments to how you care for them.
Here are a few examples of resourceful living products that help extend the life of our clothes:
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- Gleener Fabric Shaver & Lint Brush – Three different fabric-safe edges in this handheld device eliminate pilling, lint and pet hair from virtually all fabrics. You can also use it on upholstery and linens.
- Dryel At-Home Dry Cleaner – Use these products to clean and freshen clothes in the dryer, saving money on trips to the dry cleaner (and resisting the urge to throw delicate fabrics in the washing machine).
Home and Furniture
Food and clothes may be one thing, but there’s an even bigger incentive for consumers to preserve the quality of big-ticket items like furniture and flooring. Resourceful living solutions can range from small inexpensive items to bigger appliances, including:
- Nuvera® Leather Cleaner + Conditioner – This handy spray restores the new appearance and natural feel of leather furniture and makes scratches and abrasions less visible. It can also be used on sports equipment, luggage, jackets and boots.
- Chair Sliders by Furnish – These stretchable, see-through silicone covers for chair legs prevent scratches and scuffs on hardwood, tile, laminate and vinyl.
- iHome Wet WV5 Cordless Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner – It’s easy to clean a variety of messes on hard floors and extend their life by vacuuming and washing them right up at the same time.
