What ‘turtling’ and other consumer trends mean for sales in the home category

CHICAGO – Joe Derochowski, Circana home industry advisor, had an upbeat message in a keynote session at the Inspired Home Show 2025 this week, telling attendees that the housewares industry is poised for steady growth both in units and dollars through 2030 because “there’s no place like home.”

In his session, “Thinking Outside the Box: Growth Opportunities for the Housewares Industry,” Derochowski shared his insights and those of fellow Circana analysts across various industries, including beauty, toys, sports equipment, food, apparel, tech and books, and how trends in those industries, including the role of AI, have impacted – and will continue to impact – the housewares industry.

Big themes fueling short-term growth included consumers replacing high-frequency items purchased during the pandemic, such as small appliances and electronics; more people eating and entertaining at home, aka “turtling” because of the inflationary environment; weather/climate emergency-related home goods purchases; and economical home improvements, such as décor changes.

The Circana experts said long-term growth is being impacted by trends including the return to office, including new ways to think about wardrobes and what and when we eat; the home bubble with people delaying the purchase of their first home; path to purchase innovation that can use AI to bring consumers more personalization and value; and favorable demographics, such as 20-somethings living in their first place off-campus; 30-somethings in their first homes; women going through menopause; new retirees with more time on their hands; and home-bound seniors.

In the short term, Derochowski said we are in a “needs-based purchasing cycle.” He explained that, given the inflationary environment, people are prioritizing their needs over discretionary purchases.

Circana president Don Unser shared that despite inflation, “Consumers are still spending and they are spending at a good clip.” He also noted that suppliers could take advantage of disruption in the e-commerce space with marketplaces like Temu and TikTok, which allow small brands to scale very fast.

The Role of AI

The role of AI will only accelerate in 2025. Paul Gagnon, vice president, industry advisor, and consumer technology at Circana said that AI will be as revolutionary as the internet in the 1990s. But before rushing to build AI into a product, he advised suppliers to determine if it will help consumers save money or make the product more efficient.

Derochowski cautioned suppliers not to position AI as a benefit, but to instead use it as a tool to help solve a consumer pain point. It could also help determine what products are a good fit for consumers – both online and in store.

Kristen Classi-Zummo, executive director and industry analyst of apparel at Circana, shared that one in four women ages 18-54 would shop online if they got more personalized recommendations based on their body type. She predicted we will see AI helping more with online apparel, allowing consumers to search beyond typical filters like size and color.

The Turtling Trend

The inflationary environment is causing people to stay home more. “It’s four times more expensive to go out and eat,” stated David Portalatin, Circana senior vice president, industry advisor, food and foodservice. He said people desire easy solutions like heat and eat, or opening a bag or box to get to a quick meal—a snackification of sorts throughout the day.

People are also turtling by entertaining at home more, finding escape in fiction books and turning to nostalgic video games, according to the Circana experts.

Growth Opportunities

Derochowski and his colleagues also shared some additional considerations for suppliers looking for growth opportunities, including:

• What are you doing to tap into joy? Derochowski said there is a greater desire for more joy in all aspects of a consumer’s life, from entertaining to eating to beauty to organizing. People may treat themselves to these items when they are feeling good, but also when they aren’t, to feel better.
• How do you make consumers feel safe? People are also looking for proof that others have found a product they’re considering to be helpful. What are you doing to make consumers feel confident that they made the right choice? Securing customer reviews is a good way to do this