Millennials are unlike any other generation—they change the way things are usually done. The Y generation doesn't hold back with their feedback about consumption; hence, they have a hand in how companies create new products. Safe to say, Millennials are changing the game. Instead of holding on to the past and sticking with traditions, they make their own rules. So, thanks to their refusal to buy certain things, some are already disappearing off the shelves.
Eating Cereals Is Bothersome
Cereals have become a staple breakfast at home because it's convenient to eat. No wonder it's estimated that an American consumes 160 bowls of it yearly. No cooking is needed, as you only need to put some cereals in the bowl and pour milk over it. Nevertheless, this simple task seems too much for millennials because they consider consuming the breakfast bran bothersome.
According to a New York Times article, 40 percent of Gen Y dislike the morning food favorite because they have to clean up after eating. They prefer sandwiches and yogurt that come in throwaway packages. We never realized washing one bowl and a spoon is now considered a complicated task.
It's Now "Untying the Knot"
There was a time when women had no choice but to get married because only through it did they gain any property claim, legal status, and access to their inheritance. Today, millennials are making history by refusing to get married at a record rate. Some test the waters by living with a partner, while others completely turn their backs on traditional marriage.
Women, particularly those with higher education, are getting married later in life because they invest in their careers. They put establishing a family as the least of their priorities. So, we will not be surprised when soon, the world population declines because of this trend.
The Good Cinema Experience at Home
Because traditional cinemas have been faced with several competitive threats, they made ways to up their game. Many theaters today converted to reclining seats to make the viewing experience more comfortable. Some even have a food bar inside the cinema, complete with food servers. You don’t have to get up for popcorn because someone will hand you a bag.
Movie theaters are upping their game because of their biggest competitor—streaming services. People prefer to watch movies and television shows in the comfort of their own homes. It won’t be surprising to discover one day that cinemas, like VHS tapes, DVDs, and movie rental stores, have become extinct.
Cars No Longer Needed
In 2022, it was announced that the United States plans to get rid of gas-powered vehicles by 2035. It's their way of lowering gas emissions to help fight global warming. Nevertheless, no matter how great President Biden's new policy is, it may no longer be needed soon.
Millennials appear to not be interested in cars anymore for various reasons. One is public transportation, such as taxis, buses, and subways. Then, there's Uber—you can call them for a ride anytime. There's no pressure when someone else is in front of the wheel; you can sleep, while busy people can conduct their business while traveling.
Isn't Soap Self-Cleaning?
Most bathrooms have a built-in soap dish because it's standard to use soap bars. Yet, contractors might need to change their designs because the cleaning product might become obsolete soon. According to a MarketWatch report, millennials are opting to use shower gels and liquid soap over the traditional bar type.
The reason is that many believe germs and bacteria are retained in the cleanser. Perhaps millennials are fans of the TV show Friends and what Joey said about soap remained in their minds. When Chandler argued that they were self-cleaning, his roommate replied, “Alright, well next time you take a shower, think about the last thing that I wash and the first thing you wash.”
Are Gyms Becoming Obsolete?
There's no doubt that millennials love to stay in shape. Yet, they are no longer doing it conventionally by hitting the gym. Rather, they found that fitness might be easier to achieve with the help of running clubs, online yoga classes, boutique studio classes, and other out-of-the-ordinary methods.
Now, the reason for ditching gyms can be that these fitness classes provide a highly engaging environment for burning calories. After all, you get to experience an amazing combination of socializing and working out. So, with its growing popularity among youngsters, it is safe to say that gymnasiums may not survive for long.
Happy Retirement, Fabric Softener!
The young folks of today's world do not consider fabric softeners to be of much use, and this makes sense. These solutions became famous in the mid-1900s because detergents were harsh on the clothes and made them rough and prickly. Yet, with the advancement of technology, the quality of clothing materials and washing machines improved. So, naturally, fabric softeners lost their importance with time.
Statistics indicate that the fall of the fabric softener market began between 2007 and 2015. Even though marketing experts are trying their best to find a way to provoke young customers into buying softeners, their endeavors don't seem very promising.
The Seas Are Lonely
Millennials and their travel choices are quite different from that of the earlier generations. They value experience over luxury and hence seek unique adventures in exotic surroundings. Surprisingly, young people are barely enthusiastic about the cruising industry. We guess that's because they never grew up watching The Love Boat, so they have zero inspiration to board a lavish cruiser and enjoy a sea voyage.
Reports of Caribbean News Service say that youngsters now like a more "authentic" experience in their tours. Well, we don't believe it gets any more genuine than sleeping out at sea with friends or family while heading to a tropical destination.
Bad Time for the Brewers
Here is another aspect that the millennials can be blamed for: the significant decline of the alcohol industry. Anyone from the older generations would tell you that beer becomes a staple drink in your refrigerator after a certain age. Yet, that's not the case with today's youngsters.
They simply aren’t boozing as much as their forebears because the new trend is weed. Yes, the young folks prefer that intoxicant instead of alcohol. Drinking beer is getting less and less popular, and it may soon become something to sulk about in the future. That's indeed bad news for the brewers!
Cable TV Is Heading Towards Extinction
Not so long ago, our only options for watching a movie or a television series at home included cable television. Yet, in recent years, the game changed when people shifted to online streaming services. Clearly, with the growing fame of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and other platforms, Cable TVs are on their way out of many homes.
The extinction of cable TV truly makes sense as online streaming services only require a subscription, internet access, and a device to watch the content. So, it's no wonder the millennials want to ditch scheduled programming and the confines of wires for binge-watching shows online.
Right Where You Are
One more thing you probably didn’t know millennials are doing less of is going out for drinks or to eat. Blame it on delivery apps like Uber Eats and GrubHub, which brought joy to not just introverts but everyone!
Whenever you are too tired to cook or have a pizza craving and can’t bring yourself to visit your favorite pizza joint, these apps and meal-kit companies will make sure your order is dropped right at your doorstep. The fact that millennials won’t have to leave the house to go pick it up themselves is bewitching. Talk of convenience!
Millennials Don’t Care Much for Diamonds
The popular phrase "diamonds are a girl’s best friend" sure does not apply to millennials, seeing these guys do not feel the need to buy diamonds as much as the generations before them. Today, a lot of people aren’t bent on getting diamond engagement rings and we can’t help but wonder if there's a new trend we are yet to uncover.
Well, nothing has demoted the diamond. With the high cost of living that continues to rise by the day, spending huge chunks of money on more prioritized things like saving for housing makes more sense. If millennials are promoting the diamond industry, it is mostly through ethically-sourced diamonds or none.
No, We Are Not Playing the Lottery
A good question to start with would be, do you know of anyone who has won a lottery before? We don’t either. While it's not for us to say that you might as well stop waiting for the day you win your dream lottery because chances are you never will, most millennials figured this out long before.
According to one study, the percentage of young people who play the lottery was way less compared to the 61 percent aged 50 to 64 who played in 2016. Guess it's safe to say millennials know better than to play the lottery.
Out With the Old
Do people still use napkins or it's millennials who simply won’t take them seriously? Also, if they don’t, does it mean table etiquette has gone down the drain or there is a replacement for napkins?
With a ratio decline from six in ten chances to four in ten that an individual will use a napkin at their dinner table, a paper towel is the most preferred by this generation. Oh! That is if they even make it to the dining table in the first place. There are a lot of rules millennials aren’t going to bend but eating around a table isn’t one of them.
More Millenials Are Going Healthy
Did McDonald's lose its glory as the number one fast food chain in America or have millennials simply decided that other fast food joints deserve a chance as well? While it’s not for us to tell, The Wall Street Journal makes for a good place to start. In one of its issues, the magazine reported that the Golden Arches was losing its luster with younger customers.
A fair reason for this is, that more young people are going the healthier way when it comes to diet. The good thing is McDonald’s knows how to keep up and their plant-based burgers are heaven on earth!
Online Shopping: Shopaholic's Dream Come True
Who knew shopping would become so much easier and one could purchase the desired items with a click of a button? We can scroll through a variety of products right from the comfort of our homes. Interestingly, the limited timelines within which the goods get delivered to our doorstep makes things even more convenient.
As online stores and the discounts they offer have made it simpler for shopaholics, the finances of departmental stores have taken a hit. Unfortunately, due to loss in business, many minimarts have shut down, while some had to shut down a few of their branches. Although, few still believe in the old-fashioned way of purchasing merchandise by visiting the store.
Showing the Way Out to Formal Attire
There was a time when we spotted industrialists and business magnates sporting suits at every event they attended. Nonetheless, times have changed as many entrepreneurs have ditched the formals, and we see them wearing comfortable outfits like T-shirts instead. Things started to change when Mark Zuckerberg stepped out in public wearing casual attire, and soon the wave hit the tech industry.
It is not only the big heads who prefer donning a regular Tee, but now many workplaces have also changed their dress code from formal to casual. So it isn't just on a Friday that you get to wear your favorite outfit; you could sport it every day.
Ways to Get Away With Those Stubborn Creases
Times have certainly changed as earlier, people would make sure to iron out every visible crease seen on their clothes. For millennials, however, the daily routine of erasing those wrinkles seems to be time-consuming. So most of them have ditched ironing their outfits entirely. Moreover, the clothing industry has also started manufacturing merchandise with wrinkle-free material.
For outfits that still need some ironing, there are hacks to do away with using the big block iron; one is by hanging shirts in an enclosed steamy room. Another hack is putting the merchandise in a dryer for about 20 minutes, and one would get a perfectly ironed outfit.
Why Ring the Bell When You Can Text
It is no secret that we are all glued to our smartphones almost the whole time. Everything has become easier with the invention of mobile phones, whether taking pictures or communicating with people. Interestingly, millennials are so in the habit of texting each other that even when one is waiting outside someone's house, they prefer sending a message instead of ringing the bell.
There was a time when people would install buzzers with different musical tunes and individuals would announce their arrival by hitting the doorbell. These days, those devices aren't used anymore by the new generation.
Golf Is a Thing of the Past
We have always seen golf as a sport played by individuals who are there to discuss business or sign major financial deals. Nonetheless, the game is losing its charm nowadays. While people are still banking projects and signing contracts, nowhere do they do it close to a golf course. Many of us, including the millennials, believe this recreational activity is heavy on the pocket and something players don't enjoy.
Even though it doesn't interest many, we have spotted a few individuals visiting the nearest mini-golf center but only as a way to pass their time. So we assume this sporting activity is becoming a thing of the past.
Millennial to Cow—Thank You, Next!
Today’s largest youthful generation has a way of staying true to any cause. Right on target, their keen interest is holding firm in the meat industry, singling out beef specifically. For some who haven’t noticed, there’s a global downside slope on the slaughterhouse. The number calls for a significant 70 percent of the world population, either demanding less of the animal stock or scrapping it entirely off the table.
The sudden shift to the healthy green-based alternative is strictly personal. Millennials are so fond of animals that a mention of them ever gracing their meal board causes a downright cringe. Besides, haven’t you heard already that cows are not only terrifyingly expensive but also escalate climate change?
Home Phones Are for the Olden Days
In the good old days, people used to sit by the phone, waiting for an incoming call from a friend or a school crush. Yet, as soon as one answers, you start to pray that no family member is on the other line prying in the conversation. While some of us remember the anticipation and anxiousness of the classic electronic, not many millennials do. Some don't even know what a landline is, much less have the patience to use it.
Mobile phones make our lives easier; one can carry them anywhere and use them conveniently in emergencies. So, who needs a corded telephone stuck in the house all day? Not this generation's more pragmatic participants, obviously.
Fashion Is Where the Price Is Right
Just because the name status means something to the grandparents and parents doesn't imply that generation Y will buy the promotion too. Luxury brands need to make an effort if they want to shake millennials' digital and sensible hearts—these aren't passive consumers hungry for designer items. Extravagance and exclusivity mean nothing to them, for a strong sense of style lies heavily on a better value for every penny they make in their busy lives.
By the numbers, a staggering 92 percent of buyers are shopping based on commendations by people rather than apparel marketed at face value. One only needs to look hard enough; there's always a cheaper counterpart for that thousand-dollar fancy handbag.
A Rental Home Is More Like It
The question is; pay the hefty mortgage or rent an affordable dwelling? The Y generation says the latter is the best option for two significant reasons. First, young people, mostly fresh out of college, don't have the money to build their own houses. Second, permanently tying your personal and professional life in one place seems like a demanding commitment, especially for millennials establishing their growing careers. Hence, a short-term housing plan makes for a better move-in-move-fast arrangement.
Buying a house is a dream come true. Yet, for these fledging and ambitious consumers who are living on a budget and flocking where opportunity calls, going and thriving as they please are much more enticing steals.
Doubtful About the Trading Floor
You lose some; you win some. In the stock market, getting rich is a feasible end, but losing in brutal counts is also bound to happen. Unfortunately, young people have seen many financial crashes in just a short period that somehow left a bad trading floor taste in their mouths. Ask away, and you'd be surprised that only about 13 percent are willing to bet their money on securities.
Stocks are no longer the investment giant it once was. Nowadays, gold, real estate, and primarily cash are the most popular ventures of interest. Millennials demand more instant needs; thus, waiting for funds they can't touch to grow may seem like a scary and tedious endeavor.
They Don’t Spend Money on Bulk Groceries
Millennials have brought a major change in how we do regular tasks. Even though most millennials grew up in a house where the pantry and the fridge are loaded with snacks all the time, they still don’t feel the need to do the same.
Most of these people now live alone, so they don’t consider it an important task to do regular grocery shopping. The previous generation believed in stocking up the kitchen with food supplies in bulk, but that’s not how millennials work. They only step into a grocery store when they need something and don’t come home with a week’s worth of food.
No More Wine Bottles With Corks
It used to be a mandatory part of any celebration to pop open a wine bottle. Everybody would toast afterward, and the feast would begin. While this was almost a tradition back then, things are changing now, all thanks to the millennials.
If we observe carefully, we will find out that convenience is the one thing that millennials want the most. So if they are planning to go on a road trip or a picnic with their friends, then they prefer wine bottles with twist caps. Also, as long as the wine is not going out of trend, we think a little change in the bottles is not that much of a big thing, right?
Mayonnaise Is Not Everyone’s Favorite Anymore
Back in the day, no matter the extent of individual differences, everyone was united by the mutual love for mayonnaise. It was the love of every American, and most people could not even imagine getting by a day without consuming mayonnaise in any way. Still, mayonnaise consumption is declining these days. Want to know why?
Well, millennials have evolved taste buds. They are not as crazy about mayonnaise as the generation before them. They choose to add a bit of fancier condiments to their food, and these also taste amazing. Sauces like ranch, hot sauce, honey mustard, and others are now seen more frequently in supermarkets.
Postcards Are Replaced by Social Media
Traveling is an adventure that everybody looks forward to. Planning a trip, making arrangements, and finally setting off give a different kind of adrenaline rush. While there are many important parts of a trip, like food and other experiences, one of the most important tasks is to let everyone know that we’re traveling.
In the past, people used to send postcards to their friends, but the trend has now almost disappeared, all thanks to social media. Nobody feels the need to purchase a postcard, write it, and send it to their loved ones. A simpler alternative is to post pictures on social media, and the job is done.
When All Else Fails, Then Maybe Hotels
The Y generation has taught us to be crafty and thrifty. We're not implying that the world has gone cheap; we just learned how to be wise spenders. To demonstrate how our lives have been reshaped economically, let’s talk about indoor relaxation in hotels/motels. A few years back, it was the craze, but not anymore.
People, nowadays, are fast competing in a free market, leasing out their space and properties for rovers in a short-term vacation. The advertisement buzz is in full effect on internet sites like Turnkey and Vrbo. Pricey plush hotels or an exclusive room with a homely vibe, rated at a consumer’s affordability mark? Exactly, it’s not that hard of a decision to make.
Dairy Milk Is Going Out of Fashion
Since our childhood, we have consumed dairy milk in so many ways that we can’t even count. The rich taste always makes us full and feel nice. Even though it was a compulsory part of our childhood, milk consumption has still declined by 40 percent since the '70s.
The reason behind such a steep downfall is the introduction of non-dairy milk into the market. Recently, people have become more and more health conscious and so have switched to other alternatives of milk like almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc. The popularity of vegetarian and vegan lifestyles has surely taken its dig on dairy milk.
Tinned Fish Has Become Uncool
Here’s a thought to ponder; many millennials don’t own a can opener—shocking? It’s mind-boggling, to say the least because that opening device is a true lifesaver in the kitchen. Yet, its domineering effect is dwindling fast in the market. Canned tuna industry giants such as Bumble Bee Foods and Starkist’s struggling shares are clear indications that they better switch sides to the youthful group’s pragmatic packaging taste before the tinned fish becomes a thing of the past.
The Wall Street Journal published that only about 32 percent of the "Net Generation" are craving canned tuna. Too bad for businesses, but millennials are nonetheless saving the ocean from overfishing and the people from unhealthy foods on the table.
The Giant Bird Has to Go
The Thanksgiving menu varies from one family to another. Still, regardless of the house’s preference, one special dish always gets an exclusive invite around the holiday dinner table; turkey. While mothers keep this tradition alive, their younger breeds are unlikely to keep the food custom intact.
Millennials wouldn’t shy away from devouring an entire turkey if they could, but they would be wary of listing the grub in the Thanksgiving recipe card. Most of them don’t even have the tolerance or the skill to roast the giant bird unless it’s smaller. In any case, they and their friends would do it potluck style, bringing whatever is left in the pantry, which means anyone getting a turkey is beyond improbable.
Out With Carrie Bradshaw, in With the Flatform
If you want to be fashionable, prepare yourselves to be uncomfortable. Carrie Bradshaw knows that, of course. This stylish heroine would rather be in a hassle than throw her powered heels out the window. Who wants to follow her lead? In this new generation of practical dwellers, not many. They’d kiss their flashy stilettoes goodbye if it meant parting with the word "distress."
Millennials are shifting the fashion industry with a casual style in the workplace. They wouldn’t work those legs out for the sake of looking fabulous. Beautiful shoes take you to gorgeous places, but you wouldn’t trek much in intolerable footwear. Designers quickly caught on to this and are now crafting sophisticated but secured platforms.
Cheese but With an Extra Something
By taste mash-ups, millennials are the more adventurous type who indulge in bold flavors, as long as they're cheap. With such a food factor, one might think that this group of cut-rate consumers will favor a heavily preserved single-slice American cheese in their diet. You couldn't be more wrong. The Net Generation is sacrificing their budget for a healthier and upscale cheese version.
Treat the visitors expensively if you want to impress them on the meal board. Millennials, too, are fond of boasting about their fancy pantry, but apart from that, they just want to stray away from preservatives. Dropping sales of Kraft and Velvita since 2014 implied that the cheese game plates are shifting in the market.