Bumble has predicted that drinking and boozy dates will decline in 2022, making way for hobby-based activities for budding couples. According the research released by the women-first dating app, hobby dates such as baking, walking, and comedy nights will overtake drinking and alcohol based dates.
The last twelve months, Bumble have seen a culture of ‘hardballing’, a term for really knowing what we want after months of reflection. Bumble’s research shows that this trend shows no sign of slowing down, with more than half of people on the app globally saying that they are now more upfront with partners about what they want.
Bumble’s research have found that fast-forwarding is going to be a key trend moving into 2022. The pandemic has defined the last two years, and what singles wanted at the start is likely not what they are looking for in a partner now. One in three people on Bumble the pandemic has drastically changed what they are looking for in a partner. Globally, two in three people say they are now prioritising emotional availability, and one in four say they care less about appearances.
The research also found that users a consciously single, with the pandemic making more than half of us (53%) realise that it’s fine to be single. Looking ahead, people are consciously making a decision to be single.
Finally, the research from Bumble found that with vaccination rates increasing, public displays of affection will return to dating with a boom. Globally, more than two in three said that they are more open to public displays of affection post-pandemic.
Naomi Walkland, Head of UK and Ireland at Bumble, said: “If 2020 was the year of reflection, 2021 has been a year of discovery and we expect to see that continue into the new year. Along with rediscovering some of our favourite date spots, we’ve seen that people on Bumble are looking to discover new people, new priorities, and explore new ways of dating.”
The 2022 trends follow Bumble’s introduction of the ‘sober’ badge in September, allowing users the chance to tell other singles that they don’t drink. Research for National Sober Day found that 47% of respondents who do consume alcohol are open to dating someone sober, and another 29% believe that the trend of going for a drink on a first date is changing, with matches instead opting for other activities like getting a coffee, taking a walk or going bowling.
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