5.8 trillion "lonely economy" rises, HAIDILAO launches single-person hot pot, small-sized home appliances are popular, scholars: touching human nature is the key

According to data released by the Beike Research Institute in the "New Era of Living Alone Report," it is estimated that by 2030, the number of people living alone in China may reach 150 million to 200 million, with the living alone rate expected to exceed 30%. At the same time, against the backdrop of an aging population structure in China, both the employment mobility-driven demographic and the current young generation choosing to live alone are continuously expanding the scale of living alone in metropolitan areas, giving rise to a "loneliness economy" market worth 5.8 trillion yuan. Loneliness Consumption Penetrates Daily Life As the "loneliness economy" market continues to expand, its consumption scenarios have gradually penetrated daily life, with more and more brands targeting the living-alone demographic entering the market. Restaurants, including HAIDILAO (6862), have already launched single-person hot pot bases, and some restaurants also offer solo seating; home appliance brands are producing mini washing machines, single rice cookers, and other small-sized products, with this wave of "mini economy" consumption sweeping across major cities. At the same time, an app named "Demumu" (renamed from "Dieda") has sparked a wave of downloads, with an initial investment of only 1,000 yuan, this app has now ballooned to a market value of over 100 million yuan. In this regard, economist Song Qinghui stated that capital often amplifies all scalable demands, and loneliness is no exception. As technology significantly reduces connection costs, individuals can obtain companionship and a sense of certainty through digital means. He believes that the success of such apps and business models is not accidental; the increase in the population living alone, late marriage and childbearing, combined with the highly developed online entertainment but thin offline connections, have made loneliness a common phenomenon rather than a temporary emotion. Solo Travel Becomes a Global New Normal Moreover, not only in China, solo travel has become the norm for the global younger generation. According to American Express's 2024 Global Travel Trends Report, solo travel is showing a rapid upward trend among millennials and Generation Z, with 76% planning to travel alone. From 2025 to 2030, the global solo travel market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 14.3%, with the market size projected to reach 1.07 trillion dollars (approximately 8.4 trillion Hong Kong dollars) by 2030. Despite the emergence of various solo travel service providers, on a social cognitive level, traveling alone is no longer seen as a symbol of loneliness but rather as a manifestation of freedom. More and more people actively choose to travel alone simply to "not have to accommodate others' pace." Song Qinghui pointed out that the market potential of the loneliness economy lies not in individual applications but in segmented tracks, such as virtual companionship, emotional custody, remote guardianship, digital wills, and life records, all of which could generate stable payment scenarios. However, the real barrier lies in trust and sustained stickiness. He believes that the key is not about "selling loneliness" but whether the product truly enhances individual quality of life or merely creates dependency. The boundaries of the loneliness economy ultimately depend on how products touch and respond to human nature