Bumble predicts increase in PDA and sober dating in Australia

Living through a pandemic has “drastically changed” what Aussies are looking for in a partner and how they date.

Australians are changing the way they date.

The pandemic has caused singles to have a serious rethink about their relationships, with 29 per cent of Aussie Bumble users saying living through Covid had “drastically changed” what they were looking for in a partner.

The dating app powerhouse has used internal data and polling to predict what the world of dating will look like going into the new year, and its research shows it’s time to add a new term to your vocabulary: fast-forwarding.

It’s all about being selective and looking ahead.

Bumble says the trend sees daters looking for new qualities in their potential partner, with three in five (57 per cent) of Australian Bumble users now prioritising emotional availability.

In fact, a quarter (24 per cent) care less about a partners’ physical appearance.

Another word to add to your lexicon: explori-dating.

While more people are taking the cautious approach to dating, it doesn’t mean they’re not up for trying something new.

Almost half the Australian Bumble community (46 per cent) said they had re-evaluated what their “type” is recently and 34 per cent would describe their approach to dating as “exploratory”.

Bumble’s APAC communications director Lucille McCart said the pandemic had given people an enormous amount of time and space for self-reflection.

“2022 is going to be the year that we put this all into action,” she said.

“It’s time to throw out the rule book and start dating in a way that works for you.”

Bumble’s findings also suggest we may be about to see more sober dating, “power PDA” and people waiting longer to have sex with a new partner.

Cautious dating

Getting back out into the big wide world can be scary, with Aussies planning to take a more cautious approach.

Three quarters (75 per cent) of singles looking to date confirmed they feel some form of anxiety about the idea of dating again as Australia opens up.

More than half (53 per cent) will be waiting longer to have sex with a new partner compared to before the pandemic.

Bumble has found more people are happy to be single.

Consciously single

We’ve spent a lot of time isolated, and it appears we’ve learned to love our own company.

The pandemic has made 47 per cent of people understand it is OK to be alone and 47 per cent will be more intentional in how they date.

Power PDA

Bumble tells us it won’t just be the likes of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Baker doing a whole lot of PDA.

Bumble predicts that in 2022 the dating trend “power PDA” will be back in a big way.

More than two in three (65 per cent) of Australians are more open to public displays of affection post-pandemic.

“Many single Australians feel like they have been starved of IRL connections for a significant part of this year,” said McCart.

“You can sense the hope and excitement as things start to open up and the warmer weather arrives.”

Sober dating

It turns out single Australians’ relationship with alcohol and dating has changed.

Almost one in five single Aussies looking to date will not be drinking on dates at all and almost three quarters (77 per cent) of daters believe sober dating sets you up for a better connection.

Aussies appear ready to change who they date coming out of the pandemic.

Slow dating

Over the course of the pandemic Bumble said it witnessed a rise in “slow dating”, with Australians drawing out the courting process.

People are interested in taking more time to get to know each other and build a meaningful connection before advancing a relationship.

Bumble also found a trend of “new dawn daters”, a rise of people who broke up with their partner during the peak of the pandemic after re-evaluating what they were looking for in a relationship.

Vaxidating

Bumble says vaccination status, as well as age, location and height, is a must-know when it comes to dating this summer.

Seven out of eight (85 per cent) single Australians confirmed they are not afraid to ask someone’s vaccination status before connecting with them in a meaningful way.

Bumble found the majority of single Aussies are not afraid to ask a potential date their vaccination status.

The rise of the young Millennial relationship

The rise of the relationship is quite apparent with Bumble user data showing that 58 per cent have the intention of starting a relationship when the pandemic eases.

Almost three in five (62 per cent) of Millennials will be intentionally looking for a relationship, along with 70 per cent of Gen X people on Bumble in Australia.

This compares to just 40 per cent of Gen Z users who are seeking a committed relationship.

How Aussies feel about dating

Bumble’s findings have also revealed how Aussies are feeling about themselves as they head back into the real world.

The majority (63 per cent) feel pressure to get into shape for summer and (61 per cent) have a level of body confidence that holds them back in dating.

Two in five (38 per cent) of Australian singles say they have cancelled a date or social activity in the past because of their body image anxiety, with half (49 per cent) saying their body image anxiety has increased since the start of the pandemic.

Originally published as Bumble predicts increase in PDA and sober dating in Australia