Dutch trends of 2010: unrest and love

Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 29 December 2009 - 6:32pm, by Wendy Braanker

Saving money, leadership and spirituality are in. Loans, underwear and the colour purple are out. Radio Netherlands Worldwide asked Adjiedj Bakas, Dutch trend watcher of the year, to take a look forward to 2010.

It will be a turbulent year. According to the Chinese calendar 2010 is the Year of the White Tiger. Like the tiger, 2010 will be anything but dull and quiet, according to trend watcher Bakas. The unrest over the economy isn’t over yet. Mr Bakas foresees a further dip next year before the recession is really behind us.

More sober lives

Unemployment will continue to rise in 2010, and Mr Bakas anticipates that the consumer will remain cautious when it comes to spending. “The consumer will remain cautious, save a lot and live generally more soberly.” Buying secondhand will remain popular, according to the trend watcher. The consumer is very critical when it comes to prices. “The consumer thinks: I can make the euro go further. I’ll look carefully at what and how.” It’s also easier to bargain and – thanks to the Internet – to compare prices.

Unfriending

The explosive growth of social media led to a lot of noise last year. Well-known Dutch people noticed that their messages via Twitter had more impact than they expected. Sometimes, that was reason enough to stop and continue under a pseudonym. Other Dutch people are ‘unfriending’: they are dumping their virtual friends by deleting them from lists of names on “friends” websites. Not for nothing was ‘unfriending’ chosen as the word of the year for 2009 in the Netherlands.

Tension

In times of great social tension there’s also an increase in household and family violence, separations of couples and rows with neighbours, believes Mr Bakas. The sleeping pill is in. “That’s always the case. In times of recession people sleep a bit less soundly.”

Mr Bakas also sees love and passion as important themes in 2010. A new life for pensioners will also be more common in 2010. 40 plussers and 50 plussers are bewildered when their parents separate and fall in love with someone else. “We shall more often see parents entering into a new relationship. And also we’ll begin to accept that more easily”, says Mr Bakas.

Budget for indulgences

The consumer keeps his hand on the purse strings, but still reserves some money for special things. Mr Bakas expects that the Dutch will reserve 10 percent of their annual income for indulgences. For example, people with little money will buy a subscription to a sporting school and new shoes. “A consumer thinks, for example, I will save on clothing for three weeks, but then I’ll buy a new dress that I’ll be very proud of.” Other will go for vacations and jewellery. “The budget for indulgences sees to it that we remain in good spirits.”

In uncertain times, most people attach greater value to a cared-for appearance. Slovenliness is out in 2010, because nobody can allow themselves to lose their job or miss out on promotion because of a slovenly appearance. Fur, real as well as imitation, is growing further in popularity. And when it comes to the environment, we’ll see that citizens will more frequently suffer from ‘green fatigue’. “They’ve had enough of the eco-hype that’s sweeping across the country.”

Mini pig

The mini pig will be the new house pet in 2010, and the Chihuahua is out. The mini pig is specially reared to be a suitable house pet. “You can see films on YouTube, and there are already whole communities on the Internet. In the Netherlands, the website minivarkentjes.nl is where people share tips about the animal. It’s also a very attractive animal with a curly tail, very intelligent. It lives longer than a cat or a dog, and people find that attractive”.

The list of trend watcher Adjiedj Bakas:

IN (in 2010):

Renting, spirituality, the Freedom Party, D66 (a political party), debt restructuring, homesickness and nostalgia, the colours red and fawn, the fur look, hoarding light bulbs, green weariness, vegetarian food, leadership, freelancing, distrust of financial institutions, economizing, bargaining, budget for indulgences, unfriending (on Internet), sleeping pills, viagra for women, love, mini pig, personal appearance, hula hoops and zumba fitness.

OUT (in 2010):

Buying, rationality, rack models, Dutch Labour Party, loans, the colour purple, Al Gore, the cold look, the low-enery light bulb and the LED, meat eating, passivity, bonuses for bankers, confidence, wastefulness, pensions at 65, fixed prices, investing in gold, decadence, holiday in Mozambique, underwear, monogamy, the chihuahua (dog), slovenliness, bodyjam group fitness.