People talk about millennials destroying industries all the time, and it turns out there’s some truth to that because they’ve quit buying some products.
A sparkle with a cheaper twin
Let’s get one thing straight, millennials are still buying engagement rings, that hasn’t changed. What has changed is the kind of rings the younger generation is buying, as they’ve stopped getting the mined-diamond kind. They’re sticking to the lab-grown ones.
One of the main reasons they’ve switched to the synthetic kind is because of the price, since a decent lab-grown one is around $4,900. A mined-diamond one? That’ll set you back $7,600 or so, and the price difference is enough to pay for a nice honeymoon.
Morning moved too fast
The days when cereal was the only thing you ate at breakfast are long gone. A big box, cartoon face, splash of milk, millennials aren’t interested in that anymore. No, they’d like something faster and something they can take on the go, like protein bars or iced coffee.
They might even leave the house hungry because, yes, they just don’t have time to eat cereal. They’re rushing to work instead, so they’re not going to sit down for a bowl of cornflakes or anything.
One more bottle in the laundry room
It had a good run. Nobody really knew how fabric softener worked, but they still bought it to keep their clothes smelling fresh. But millennials aren’t as convinced. They’ve heard stuff about how softeners can affect your clothes’ absorbency and how they affect certain fabrics.
So, they’ve decided to go without, and really, you can’t blame them. Detergent does most of the cleaning job anyway, and dryer balls exist, too, to give you that dryness without any chemicals.
Dinner grabbed something else
Millennials wipe their mouths when they’re eating like any other generation does. The difference here is that they’re more likely to use paper towels than paper napkins, mostly because paper towels serve more than one role.
You can use them to wipe a counter and catch a spill, not just for keeping clean at the dinner table. For millennials, it’s basic math, and they’re not going to sacrifice that versatility for anything.
Shower shelves got crowded
Some people act like millennials don’t keep themselves clean, but that’s not true because they do. What’s different? They don’t use bar soap, that’s all. They’re more likely to use body wash because it’s not as gross to share, and it also doesn’t get slimy like bar soap.
They’re all suckers for the different scents and pumps that you can get with body wash. They haven’t all abandoned bar soap, that’d be unrealistic, yet a lot more of them are sticking to the bottled kind.
The table skipped the cork
The younger generation does still drink alcohol, it’s just that they’ve decided to sip on something different from the older generations. They’re going for cocktails and canned drinks over bottled wines. Why?
Because they tend to think a full bottle is too much, and that kind of thinking is something wineries are starting to feel. They assumed that every generation was going to become a wine generation, but millennials are showing them that’s not true.
The old pack lost space
One of the easiest changes to see is with cigarettes. All those warning labels, all those smoking bans, they had an effect on millennials, and they’ve decided to stop buying cigarettes altogether. They’d rather get their nicotine fix from pouches or vaping.
It’s forced the cigarette companies to make a bit of a change, since millennials aren’t the type to pick up a pack of cigs at the gas station. Now, they’re pushing disposable vapes and the like, so they’re still making some money, just in a different way.
Lunch forgot the opener
Canned tuna. It was a popular choice for quite some time because it was so cheap and shelf-stable, but it seems like millennials don’t think that way. They’re looking for something even easier. You know, like rotisserie chicken and frozen meals.
They’ll settle for anything they can just stick in the oven. Don’t forget those protein things that millennials love pretending are a real meal.
Comfort won the sidewalk
So many people don’t realize how much high heels are getting pushed out. Yes, it turns out that lots of millennial women are going for sneakers when they’re wearing dresses, office clothes, basically any outfit, really.
That’s not to say they’re not buying high heels at all. But they’ll get them only for a wedding or other kinds of special events, not for everyday use. Flats and loafers? Much better fit.
Friday forgot the jacket
It’s a similar problem with men’s suits because, yes, the suit itself didn’t die for millennials. It’s just that they’ve decided they’re not the only choice for work, and they’re going for business casual or street clothes.
Then there’s remote work. It doesn’t seem worth it to buy five suits when you’re working from the comfort of your own home, so millennials stick to renting them for any event that needs them. Menswear stores are seriously feeling that change.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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Boomers thought these 10 things were luxuries; millennials see them as non-negotiable
