News 06.05.2025

Need to Know

A daily recap from Future Days, Clinique La Prairie dives into epigenetic wellness and why consumers increasingly exploit retailers’ return policies.

Future Days 2025: Governing unthinkable futures

Future Days, Lisbon, Portugal
Future Days, Lisbon, Portugal
Future Days, Lisbon, Portugal

Portugal – On the final day of Future Days 2025, Simon Höher, systems change lead at strategic design nonprofit Dark Matter Labs, delivered a standout talk titled Governing Unthinkable Futures. He argued that the most radical futures aren’t just unlikely; they are unimaginable within today’s systems of thinking.

According to Höher, we are now living in what he calls the ‘age of consequences,’ a period shaped by decisions and infrastructures built by past generations. Climate breakdown and economic instability are no longer abstract risks but outcomes we are already experiencing.

He introduced the idea of ‘glitches’ – unexpected societal anomalies that offer glimpses of possible futures. When a glitch starts to feel plausible, it becomes a signal. Just a day before the conference, a nationwide power outage disrupted Portugal, turning an abstract risk into a real-time example. It served as a stark reminder: the unimaginable is already happening and we’re not prepared.

Between talks, attendees could observe work by students from the Royal College of Art’s SuperFUTURES research unit, who explored possible futures through speculative artefacts. One standout project was Drained by Chesta Kela. Set in 2047, it envisions a world where the supply and demand for blood plasma have shifted from altruistic donation to a commodified market. 

In this imagined future, donors become obsessed with the quality of their plasma, sparking new industries for plasma-enhancing supplements and even competitive sabotage to improve one’s ranking. While such ideas may seem far-fetched, as Simon Höher noted in his talk, it’s essential to explore the unthinkable in order to prepare for what may lie ahead.

For more insights on why foresight is a necessity, join us on 13 May 2025 for a free webinar introducing our new strategic foresight masterclass series. If uncertainty is a virus, then strategic foresight is the best way to inoculate your organisation against it. RSVP now

Strategic opportunity

Consider how to monitor emerging 'glitches' –unexpected disruptions or anomalies– across sectors. Treat them as early signals for innovation, adaptation and creativity, not just risks

Clinique La Prairie targets epigenetic wellness with Epinome supplement launch

Clinique La Prairie, Switzerland Clinique La Prairie, Switzerland
Clinique La Prairie, Switzerland Clinique La Prairie, Switzerland

Global – Clinique La Prairie has launched Epinome, an ultra-targeted supplement designed to support cellular health and longevity through epigenetic regulation. Developed over three years in collaboration with epigenetic testing firm Genknowme, the product reflects the clinic’s commitment to cutting-edge nutraceutical science. Epinome works at a molecular level to restore healthy methylation patterns – a process vital to regulating gene expression and cellular repair.

The formula combines seven plant-based compounds, including sulforaphane and cucurbitacin B, with Clinique La Prairie’s proprietary Holistic Complex to combat inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular decline. Backed by rigorous epigenetic testing, it addresses one of the 12 recognised mechanisms of ageing.

Positioned within the brand’s Holistic Health range, Epinome marks a bold expansion into at-home longevity solutions, with a 30-day supply priced at £390 ($519, €460). Launching in June 2025, it will be stocked at premium retailers including Harrods and Mandarin Oriental.

Our Breakthrough Biohacks report spotlights the pathways and biohacks maximising longevity and effectively treating and preventing age-related conditions.

Strategic opportunity

As longevity culture moves from clinic to consumer, health and beauty brands should consider how they can create bio-personalised wellness products that align with the rise of at-home biohacking and precision supplementation

Stat: Consumers are exploiting retailers’ flexible return policies

thredUP, US thredUP, US

UK, US – A new report reveals the hidden cost of consumer-friendly return policies, with nearly half of online shoppers admitting to abusing them.  

Conducted by The Harris Poll for digital commerce platform Forter, the research questioned more than 4,000 adults in the US and UK. It found that 68% of respondents believe retailers make it too easy to exploit generous return systems, while 49% said they had done this in the past year. 

Among those, 29% admitted to misusing policies to avoid paying full price, while 30% confessed to ‘wardrobing’ – wearing expensive items they couldn’t otherwise afford before sending them back. This trend spikes among younger people, with 46% of US and 48% of UK 18–34-year-olds admitting to the practice. 

Financial pressures are fuelling more opportunistic shopping behaviours, with 48% buying more from retailers with lenient policies.  

Our New Codes of Value report dives into shifting attitudes towards brands, as inflationary prices and the enshittification of products and services have left many feeling disillusioned and entitled to bend or break the rules.  

Strategic opportunity

Consider adopting dynamic, data-driven returns policies that reward genuine loyalty while deterring serial returns abusers, such as shoppers who have the highest return frequencies, thereby protecting margins without alienating core audiences

Previous News Articles
SXSW London 2025: Designing with empathy and reimagining Time magazine’s legacy

News

SXSW London 2025: Designing with empathy and reimagining Time magazine’s legacy

On day three of SXSW London, the design track spotlighted the future of design in an AI-driven world, with speakers urging designers to focus on wh...
Design : Technology : Media
Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

News

Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

Every Friday, The Future Laboratory team offers an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, ...
Fashion : Retail : Advertising
Stat: UK shopping centres lag in EV charging infrastructure

News

Stat: UK shopping centres lag in EV charging infrastructure

A new study by Zenith, a UK leasing and fleet management firm, reveals that 20% of the country’s shopping centres lack any electric vehicle (EV) ch...
Electric Vehicles : EV : Charging Points
SXSW London 2025: The Store of 2050 and Minecraft’s chicken jockey opportunity

News

SXSW London 2025: The Store of 2050 and Minecraft’s chicken jockey opportunity

On day two of SXSW London, the panel Retail Remix: The Store of 2050 brought together executives from Co-op, Mondelez International and creative ag...
Pop Culture & Media : Technology : Branding
Nike and Lego team up on creative play experiences and products

News

Nike and Lego team up on creative play experiences and products

Nike and the Lego Group have launched a global partnership to inspire kids through active and creative play, combining sport and imagination.
Technology : Nike : Lego
Stat: Consumers globally are buying clothes they never wear

News

Stat: Consumers globally are buying clothes they never wear

According to Statista Consumer Insights, a notable number of shoppers admit to buying clothes they never wear – a wasteful habit most common among ...
Fashion : Retail : Sustainability
SXSW London 2025: Biological age, AI-powered abundance and Substack’s in-person future

News

SXSW London 2025: Biological age, AI-powered abundance and Substack’s in-person future

The first edition of SXSW in London brought hundreds of visitors to Shoreditch for a mix of music, film, experiential workshops and forward-thinkin...
Pop Culture & Media : Global Events : Wellness
QuiteLike unveils rebranding to inspire joyful home cooking

News

QuiteLike unveils rebranding to inspire joyful home cooking

Meal kit brand QuiteLike has unveiled a striking rebranding designed to elevate dinnertime beyond mere convenience.
Food And Drink : Advertising & Branding : Design
Stat: US teen beauty spending soars to record high fuelled by fragrance boom

News

Stat: US teen beauty spending soars to record high fuelled by fragrance boom

Teen beauty spending in the US has surged to record levels, according to Piper Sandler’s latest Taking Stock With Teens report.
Beauty : Gen Alpha : Gen Alpha Consumers
Oura flips the script on ageing in new Give Us the Finger campaign

News

Oura flips the script on ageing in new Give Us the Finger campaign

Oura is challenging cultural norms around ageing with its latest brand campaign, Give Us the Finger.
Health And Wellness : Longevity Lifestyles : Technology
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN