NMI Resegments LOHAS Groups

HARLEYSVILLE, Pa.—The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) announced new segmentation criteria it is using to define LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health And Sustainability) consumers. According to Steve French, managing partner at NMI (www.nmisolutions.com), the changes reflect the subtle, but important, differences in a changing market. “Updating segmentations is a routine practice in market research and ensures that the segmentation variables are representative of current market situations,” he added. “Each consumer segment is mutually exclusive and unique in their specific motivational and behavioral patterns and levels of influence.”

The segments divvy up the U.S. population: 17-percent LOHAS (committed environmentally-friendly purchasers and activists), 21-percent Naturalites (focus on health aspects of natural products), 19-percent Drifters (other factors like price outweigh good intentions), 20-percent conventionals (only “green” in mainstream behaviors like recycling) and 21-percent Unconcerned (environment is not a priority). The LOHAS segment is further divided between Leaders and Followers. “LOHAS Leaders are top-of-the-pyramid opinion leaders and early adopters when it comes to green and healthy initiatives,” said Gwynne Rogers, NMI’s LOHAS business director. “LOHAS Followers’ behavior is slightly moderated as compared to leaders, but they are still cutting-edge consumers across most attitudes and respective product purchasing dynamics.”