We've been hearing a lot about “sex recession” and “child free” discussion going around, let’s dig further…..
Essentially, it’s birth recession. Hasto Wardoyo, the head of BKKBN pointed out that while "sex recession" might be a catchy term, it's not entirely accurate and easier on the ears.
Nowadays, more and more people are opting to be “child free”, this is especially true in countries with declining birth rate such as South Korea, Japan, China, Singapore, and Russia.
Here are some things that might come up as the birth goes down:
1. Bye Bye Baby Products
“...you can’t encourage moms to use more diapers in a developed market where the babies aren’t being born in those markets,” —Thomas Falk, Ex CEO of Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Like a domino effect, we surely can expect a decrease in the baby and kids industry when the numbers of births are going down. They'll be among the first to feel the impact, including the diaper and toy folks. However, every industry will be affected sooner or later, as a lower birth rate, means lower future consumers.
2. The Rise of Pawrents
According to a survey by Veterinarians.org in 2021, pets may become a substitute for those who opted out of raising kids. When birth rate decreases, pet ownership increases, a whole bunch of people are treating their pets as part of their family.
3. School Substraction
The shortage of babies being born could actually lead to school closures, and believe it or not, it's already happening in countries like the USA and Japan.
4. Robot as Family
The age of robots is upon us. In Japan, a country whose birth rate continues to decline, robots have become a part of everyday life. They even have these cool smart "robot pets" available on the market already.
Now that we know about the current global situation, how about Indonesia? Is the recession happening here?
The United Nations projects that a recession may happen in a few years, but not anytime soon. Although we are currently undergoing birth decline, the numbers look promising. Our large number of population is still going strong.
What does it mean to your life? What does it mean to your brand?
Audrey Fayeza, Audrie Hidayat, and Felisia Irena
