Executive Summary

UL's annual study, The Product Mindset, is conducted to help businesses better understand the growing concerns and priorities of their diverse constituents and the impact perceptions have on making, selling, buying, and consuming products.This year's results show shifting beliefs and new attitudes that reflect the larger world in which we live and the global forces at play, including a sharp decline in overall optimism, ever more transparent supply chains, and a focus on quality.

The report centers around a quantitative survey of more than 2,400 manufacturers and consumers in China, Germany, India and the United States. Four industries were selected to demonstrate a variety of product typologies that encompass complexity, price, frequency of purchase and frequency of use: high-tech/consumer electronics, home building materials, food, and smart appliances. This year’s Product Mindset seeks to better understand market forces, drivers of decisions, attitudes toward safety, quality, performance, sustainability and innovation, and the motivations and reasons behind these attitudes.