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Tulu brings appliance-sharing to home renters

Tulu, Tel Aviv and New York

Tel Aviv and New York – Tulu provides people who live in apartment blocks with household items they can rent for temporary use.

The service works in tandem with building owners and property developers, and enables people with limited storage space or funds to access items they might need but aren't able to invest in. Items available to rent include vacuum cleaners, tools and air mattresses, as well as recreational items such as VR headsets and PlayStations.

Tulu rental stores are located in apartment blocks and operate with a cashier-less experience to allow for a convenient sharing exchange between residents. With urban dwellers increasingly working, teaching and exercising at home, services such as Tulu allow home renters to maximise their living spaces without the clutter of occasionally used objects.

It's not just appliances that appeal to a new generation of renters – other brands are offering products and services that position Furniture as a Service.

A breast-pumping sports bra for active mums

Nurturally designed by Chrome Cherry, US

US – Nurturally's breast-pumping bra also doubles as a sports bra for new mums who want to be active.

Designed by Chrome Cherry Studio, the bra allows mothers to carry out their daily routines without the disruption of blocks of time spent breast-pumping. And in a bid to tackle some of the taboos around breast-pumping, the hands-free bra is intended to re-introduce physical activity or moments of me-time into a mother's routine.

Created in response to the negative breast-pumping experience of Nurturally’s founder, the sports bra style is designed to provide comfort while avoiding the leakage that is common with other breast-pumping bras. Its bottle-holding sling and adjustable shoulder straps support the weight of a full bottle, without putting pressure on the breasts.

Women's lifestyles are increasingly multi-dimensional. Brands like Nurtually, which aim to empower positive and active Female Futures, are likely to resonate with those seeking tools and devices to help them combine parenthood with their pre-baby lifestyles.

Scottish seltzers for sensible drinkers

Scotland – Craft beer brand BrewDog has launched a range of hard seltzers to appeal to low-alcohol drinkers.

Already a popular drinks category in America, BrewDog is putting a spin on hard seltzers with the Clean & Press range by mixing its own LoneWolf vodka with natural fruit flavours. Containing zero carbohydrates, zero sugars, and only including 90 calories per 330ml can, the product has been created for conscious drinkers.

Positioning seltzers for a European audience, Clean & Press prioritises flavour profiles for consumers who want a lighter way to drink alcohol. The cans are available in white peach and mango, and crushed black cherry flavours, with more flavours set to be released.

According to BrewDog, the launch of Clean & Press was fast-tracked as part of its efforts to reach its customers during the Covid-19 lockdown, with its bars and pubs closed.

The demand for healthier carbonated drinks has been brewing over the past few years, with brands like BrewDog catering for an audience tempted by Hard Pop.

Clean & Press by BrewDog, Scotland

Stat: US plant-based meat sales soar amid lockdown

Misfit Foods, US

According to research by Nielsen, American grocery sales have shown a significant rise in meat-free alternatives, including brands such as Beyond Meat and Tofurky.

It comes amid growing consumer concern about meat supply chains, and in particular the health and safety of workers manufacturing meat products, as Covid-19 spreads across the US. Resulting product shortages due to factory closures and illness along the meat supply chain have driven a 264% increase in US plant-based meat sales, reports Nielsen.

Demand for other plant-based foods has also increased among US consumers, with dried bean sales growing by 140%, kidney beans by 102% and chickpeas by 91%.

As we explore in Uprooted Diets, consumers are having to make changes to their diets in response to threatened supply chains, with Covid-19 hitting access to familiar foods.