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Viva Technology 2025: Personalised agency, circular retail and regulatory momentum

Oura Ring, Finland

France – On day two of Viva Technology in Paris, the spotlight turned to the potential of personalised health data and the policies driving circular innovation.

Holly Shelton, chief product officer at Oura, explored how wearable technology is evolving from a reactive tool into a proactive companion in long-term wellbeing. Longevity is emerging as a key priority, with 82% of people in the US and 73% of those in the UK now considering wellness as a top or important focus (source: McKinsey & Co).

Speaking about Oura’s mission to support users in building sustainable routines, Shelton framed personal health data as a source of agency – a way to support small, daily decisions. ‘We can all learn our own personal formula that’s best for us,’ she said

Meanwhile, circularity emerged as a macroeconomic priority, with the circular economy projected to add an extra £3.3 trillion ($4.5 trillion, €3.87 trillion) of economic output by 2030 (source: Accenture). During a retail innovation panel, speakers examined how legacy business models must adapt. While collaboration was cited as critical, the consensus was clear – meaningful transformation needs regulatory backing.

Sarah Tayeb, general manager of eBay France, acknowledged the role of joint industry efforts but stated: ‘Only the authorities can bring significant change.’ Her stance was echoed by Dounia Wone, chief impact officer at Vestiaire Collective, responding to the possible introduction of a tax on fast fashion in France. Calling the move ‘a great start’, she urged for broader, enforceable policies to drive lasting transformation.

Explore our Sustainability is Dead report to see how sustainability is evolving into a quiet baseline expectation.

Strategic opportunity

Shift from sustainability messaging to circularity-as-default, embedding repairability, resale, rental and take-back schemes as core services, not add-ons — meeting consumer expectation for accessible, low-effort circular solutions

Foresight Friday: Alice Crossley, senior foresight analyst

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, senior foresight analyst Alice Crossley dives into the summer of slowing down.

: Following the publication of our most recent macrotrend report, New Codes of Value, I’ve been thinking a lot about time as a precious resource that much of modern life is designed to drain, and the opportunity for brands to win loyalty by helping their customers slow down.

: Crown Affair’s new campaign Do Summer, Not Your Hair, perfectly encapsulates how brands can pull this off. Shot at a fairground under the sun, the social-first campaign has a simple message, Crown Affair products will simplify your haircare routine, leaving you with more time to have fun. ‘Summer memories aren’t made in the bathroom mirror,’ reads one Instagram caption from the brand.

: Similarly, vodka manufacturer Grey Goose launched Grey Goose Hôtel this week, a global campaign featuring Zoe Saldaña. Two 30-second films rolled out on the brand’s social media encourage people to live like the French and savour moments of pleasure instead of obsessing over productivity. Saldaña is filmed drinking a martini in the rain on the beach and taking cocktail essentials after the bar closes to keep the night going. The campaign is accompanied by the tag line Make Time Wait.

: Perhaps this will be the summer of slowing down...

Grey Goose Loft for Virgin Atlantic, London

Quote of the week

‘Time is our most precious resource’

Christopher Sanderson, co-founder, The Future Laboratory, at Walpole British Luxury Summit 2025

Stat: Beauty industry faces slower growth amid shifting consumer landscape

Refy, UK

Global – The global beauty industry, valued at £325bn ($441bn, €382bn), is entering a period of slower growth and is projected to expand by 5% annually until 2030, down from 7% between 2022 and 2024. This market cooling is attributed to economic uncertainty, coupled with market saturation. Additionally, 63% of consumers doubt that premium beauty products outperform mass-market ones.

According to The State of Fashion: Beauty Volume 2 report, fragrance stands out as the strongest performer, with an anticipated 6% annual growth. There is a significant shift in priorities, with only 13% of people now considering famous founders a key purchase driver. Instead, shoppers are increasingly value-conscious and seeking product efficacy over hype.

Beauty executives are keenly aware of these changes, with 75% citing scrutiny on perceived value as the biggest theme shaping the industry. Brands are urged to recalibrate value propositions and invest in R&D to meet evolving demands for product performance and to develop compelling brand stories.

Our recent Brand Innovation Debrief: Refy showcases a clear path to success by prioritising community building and delivering highly effective products. This approach perfectly aligns with our New Codes of Value macrotrend. Our analysis in this report highlights an emerging mindset driven by resourcefulness and a strong demand for value for money.

Strategic opportunity

Reframe value around efficacy, not excess. Focus messaging on tangible product performance and problem-solving benefits to win over increasingly value-conscious, efficacy-driven beauty consumers