A lot of articles have been floating around on how different aspects of the locked-down life could become or had become a ‘new normal’. The threat to life and livelihood instigates us to change our habits and behaviours. They change patterns, modes and types of products and services we demand like masks, WFH (work from home), physical distancing, healthcare, online education, online shopping, webinars, etc.

Healthcare

Something like a virus could halt the entire world was out of our imaginations. In February 2020, we could hardly see anybody wearing masks. With rising cases and lockdowns announced, the situation changed entirely in late March itself. We made a habit of washing hands every few hours. We began stashing masks and hand sanitizers. They have become basic necessities now. There was a scarcity of masks and hand sanitisers in the market and their prices had skyrocketed. Businesses were quick to serve this additional demand. In India itself, more than 300 brands currently sell hand sanitisers. Most apparel wear brands have introduced a fashionable mask in their collections, knowing that it will continue to stay for a long time.

We have also converted our homes into gyms. Yoga mats, dumbbells, treadmills and other gym equipment are in demand for the last couple of months around the world. The need for personal trainer got substituted with a virtual trainer. At the same time, we have ensured our health does not deteriorate in such circumstances which have really helped increase sales of immunity boosters and healthy food items.

Boredom

Even though the risk of the pandemic has not ebbed down yet, we began acclimatising with our new lifestyle, which involves rising health and financial risks, taking precautions and avoiding boredom. Yes, boredom! More spare time meant more boredom in times of lockdown. Many, including senior citizens – who are fed up as their kids don’t allow them to visit banks or markets and students – who are happy as their schools and colleges are shut with a ‘no-exam add-on’, have become nothing but couch potatoes during this period.

Many of us have met their past friends like painting or dancing while some of us have made new friends like Netflix and cooking. Jig-saw puzzles and board games are now in many to-do lists, along with binge-watching and reading. Demand for audiobooks, e-books, gardening equipment, baking, etc, have also risen given the diminishing marginal utility (as you consume additional unit of a thing, the additional satisfaction derived out of it decreases) from a single hobby/pastime.

Cooking

Cooking needs a special mention in this list. It has become one of the most critical aspects of the lockdown. If you are living alone, it would have been painful; if you live with your family and don’t have to worry about it all the time, you are lucky; and if you like cooking and had ample of opportunities to experiment, you would be very happy! Rather than cooking traditional food, many of us have gone out of the way by trying different styles, cuisines and even baking. Globally, sales of processed food items, healthy / organic foodstuffs and baking ingredients have climbed up substantially. In India, many people have tried making Dalgona Coffee, which ranked first in the recipe searches.

Social media is flooded with numerous photos hashtagged as ‘foodgasm’ or ‘lockdowndiaries’. We like celebrating food. We tend to share photos, experiences and recipes with one another every time we hit by unique flavour. Personally, the cooking journey is wonderful for me. I have tried Indian, continental, oriental and even fusion kind of recipes during this lockdown. Sharing these stories has been a major part of weekend conversations with my parents and friends.

Sex

We cannot end this topic without mentioning the most favourite and passionate of all pastimes: sex. As expected, sales of condoms have soared rapidly in many countries. At the same time, both men and women have preferred wearing fewer clothes during the lockdown that had a plunge on apparel sales around the globe. On one hand sales of risqué lingerie have increased in New Zealand, while on the other, Britain is preferring nudism. Yes, it is official. According to a British nudist organization, there has been a rise in new members by 100% during lockdown period.

Although, on the negative side, there are rising divorce cases too. Singles and couples who do not live together, for them, sex is off the chart. The UK government has advised that couples, who do not cohabit together, should not meet or move in together rapidly. Well, on the other hand, the Dutch government has considered the needs of singles. It has issued a guideline on sex during the lockdown. The official statement from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reads, “It makes sense that as a single [person] you also want to have physical contact.” It adds, “Meet with the same person to have physical or sexual contact (for example, a cuddle buddy or ‘sex buddy’), provided you are free of illness. Make good arrangements with this person about how many other people you both see. The more people you see, the greater the chance of (spreading) the coronavirus.” It has also advised people to have sex with themselves (masturbating together) or with others at a distance if possible (telling erotic stories, etc.).

(Amazed at the level of thought given on sex by the Dutch government)

Role of Tech

Many WFH’ers have revamped their home furniture to be more productive. Office equipment like standing desks, chairs, webcams, monitors, laptops, etc. are trending these days. Webinars and video conferencing have substituted the board room meetings and traditional seminars. Zoom app has broken all the records and has become the most favourite app, not just for corporates but also for educational institutes and households. Students and teachers have moved online instantly in many universities and schools. Many educational institutes have started this academic year online.

Although we cannot ignore the touch and feel aspect of physical shopping and cinema halls, the traditional edifice of various structures has been disrupted by the pandemic and technology has been at the forefront in easing our burden in these difficult times. Right from online delivery, video streaming and studying to web conferencing, Google Mobility Reports and e-governance, technological adaptations have been helpful not just for individuals, but also for businesses, institutions, government and even NGOs.

Frugality

Due to fear of getting impacted by Covid-19 we have avoided crowd, large gathering, tourism and such other discretionary spending. Also, as lockdowns allowed only supplies of essentials, there has been a realisation of what essential really means! This has resulted in avoiding unnecessary spends. At the same time, there are unfortunate incidents of deaths, pay cuts and unemployment at a large scale, which could result in deep contraction in the economy and possible increase in poverty. Economic slowdown and rising uncertainty around the pandemic could result into more frugality which further slows the already depressed economy (called as a negative feedback loop).

New Normal Hereon

Great Depression of 1930s made bicycles, jig-saw puzzles and blue jeans famous. Their sales spiked during the economic depression and continued to remain in vogue post the depression too. Robert Shiller, in his book Narrative Economics, states that frugality narratives were strong in 1930s along with widespread unemployment and excesses of 1920s. Similarly, in the UK, USA and other countries, post-World War II, home-grown vegetables and unique kinds of desserts, that could be made with minimum ingredients, became common on account of food rationing during the war times. He states, “The new modesty that coincided with Great Depression and World War II evolved out of the strong narrative that people were suffering through no fault of their own. They lost their jobs because of the Depression, and some lost their lives later because of the war.” These conditions, he mentions, translated into self-imposed austerity that led to severe contraction during Depression as well as contraction in consumer purchases during the World War II.

The pandemic has combined the unemployment and death aspects of the past. Behaviours during and after the pandemic will pile up to form narratives and the so called ‘new-normal’. Four behavioural patterns emerge from the current scenario: i) priority towards healthcare and very basic necessities, ii) hobbies and passing time, iii) replicating outdoor experiences inside the house; be it by changing dining tables or sofas into work desk or preparing restaurant-style curries in our kitchens, we replicate outdoor experiences inside our homes, and iv) frugality (again). Of these traits, it will be very interesting to observe which products go viral post the pandemic and what aspects of human life they touch.

We will revisit it again later. Until then, stay safe!

 – Swapnil Karkare

References and Further Reading:

SHILLER, R. J. (2020). NARRATIVE ECONOMICS. PRINCETON University PRES.

Various links of what people bought/did during lockdown: USA – Online Shopping 1, Online Shopping 2, Computer and other, Gym Equipment, UK –Shopping, Nudism, Online Shopping, Europe – Europe food, Sex, NZ – Lingerie, India – Gym Equipment, Immunity Boosters, Dalgona