Emerging Substances and the Rise of Transgressive Wellness

Delivery

This report comes in PPT.

Key findings

Polycrisis and advocacy fuel substance adventurism

Escalating macro uncertainty and disillusionment with conventional wellness are driving consumers to re-examine their substance preconceptions. Scientific legitimisation, regulatory liberalisation and high-profile influencers are creating a self-reinforcing normalisation loop.

Adjacent legal actives lead the commercial opportunity

While psilocybin, LSD and MDMA face incremental reputational rehabilitation and non-linear regulatory hurdles, legal actives are enabling immediate FMCG market entry. Neuroplastogens promise therapeutic benefits without hallucinogenic effects, potentially expanding audiences.

Distinct mission-based consumer profiles emerging

Therapeutic pioneers seek clinical healing, substitution strategists pursue harm reduction, conscious optimisers target productivity enhancement, social adventurers explore connection and nature reclaimers pursue spiritual transformation.

Multi-category volume disruption expected

Preliminary evidence suggests "GLP-1-lite" effects of psychedelics on appetite regulation and craving control. Industries such as alcohol and food face increasingly rapid volume declines, especially if uptake surges, while other industries (consumer health, nicotine) are threatened by mission overlap.

Immediate adjacencies offer low-risk entry points for brands

Clinic-based assisted therapy dominates, but microdosing platforms and legal functional-psychoactive crossovers enable near-term FMCG entry. Non-substance-touching opportunities (integration tools, nutritional support, community alignment) offer the lowest risk growth pathways.