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17 Key Consumer Trends From Around the World

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17 Key Consumer Trends From Around the World

Last updated: 17.07.2026

If you’re a business owner in 2026, competition is more fierce than ever.

In order to stand out from the crowd and win more customers, you’ll need to cater to their needs, acknowledge their preferences, and adapt to changing consumer behaviours.

To help you gain a competitive edge in such a dynamic and aggressive environment, we’ve prepared a list of some of the top consumer trends around the world today.

Here’s everything you need to know.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Sustainable and eco-friendly products

With climate change and environmental issues emerging as a vital challenge for humanity, young consumers are also increasingly searching for sustainable products with minimal environmental impact.

In 2026, sustainable shopping is defined by “The Age of Accountability,” where stricter regulations (especially across the EU) force brands to provide verified environmental claims rather than greenwashing.

Consumer expectations today are increasingly values-driven. This means more than 80% of buyers are willing to pay an average premium of 9.7% for sustainably produced, locally sourced, or circular goods.

This consumer sentiment and growing interest towards eco products and services also shape another trend – spending more.

Rather than focusing on saving money, sustainability-conscious consumers are willing to spend more money on products or services that are environmentally-friendly. This way, entrepreneurs and business owners can justify the rising prices of their goods.

2. Health and wellness focus

When exploring popular consumer insights and trends, it’s inevitable that we also mention wellness products. The modern consumer demands solutions that contribute to their well-being, with a significant focus on mental health and self-care.

In 2026, health and wellness shopping has shifted from aspirational self-care to essential, data-driven daily maintenance.

Consumers are prioritizing hyper-personalized nutrition, functional indulgence, GLP-1 lifestyle support, and proactive longevity products.

The global wellness economy is valued at approximately $6.8 trillion and is forecast to reach nearly $10 trillion by 2029. This represents an important upward shift of approximately $2 trillion from two years ago.

The high demand for health and wellness products has been steadily rising in more advanced economies over the last few years.

This trend partially stems from the fact that our daily routines are gradually shifting toward less physical activity, especially for those employed in offices or other static roles.

By 2035, more than 51% of the global population (over 4 billion people) is projected to be overweight or clinically obese. Projections indicate that 1 in 4 people (nearly 2 billion individuals) will have clinically defined obesity.

Areas such as in-person fitness, personal training, nutritional supplements, immunity boosters, and mindfulness and stress management tools are expected to continue growing in popularity.

Companies that acknowledge and address thе need for self-improvement can gain a substantial competitive advantage, even in times of economic uncertainty as consumers continue spending more on health- and wellness-related solutions.

3. Rise of e-commerce and online shopping

Shopping habits are also moving in the direction of eCommerce and online.

For most, this is already old news. But what’s different in 2026 is that buying habits are gradually shifting towards social media.

The global e-commerce market is projected to reach $3.88 trillion in 2026, driven by 2.85 billion digital buyers worldwide. This e-commerce growth is reflecting a major rise in online shopping.

The industry is shifting from growth-at-all-costs to an “efficiency reset,” heavily focusing on Agentic AI, social commerce, and strict demands for sustainable logistics.

Social media platforms are incredibly popular. Naturally, social commerce is turning into a big thing, for both new brands and experienced companies.

While social shopping was originally something that attracted young people, today Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X show a preference for product discovery via social media. This is often done through influencer recommendations, although brand positioning and engagement is also crucial.

Overall, social media influence is huge, with social shopping growing across all age groups, with even baby boomers starting to explore this option as a reliable way to discover products, find new brands, and purchase products and services.

4. Personalisation and customisation

If you’re a local brand, it’s also key to address personalisation and customisation, no matter what your target audience is. This trend is driven by behavioral changes and changes in expectations.

One of the best ways for both large and small businesses to establish brand loyalty and encourage purchase decisions is by incorporating personalised marketing in your customer journey. This can be done through different elements of the marketing strategy, the shopping journey, and more.

In 2026, personalisation is shifting from curated suggestions to active customer co-creation.

Driven by AI and consent-driven data, brands offer tailored visual try-ons and bespoke products, transforming shopping from a passive browse into a highly customised, participatory experience that significantly boosts conversion and retention.

As a brand, it’s crucial to consider how your buyers are making purchases and how you can offer a more customised experience. Make sure to collect data adequately and split your audiences accordingly.

5. Experiential and adventure-based purchases

Another one of the top trends in consumer preferences worth exploring is experiential and adventure-based shopping.

Due to the higher purchasing power of consumers in countries like the UK, USA, and others, shoppers are actively turning an eye towards shopping for lasting memories in the face of adventures and new experiences.

Consumer behaviour is demonstrating a vast interest in solutions that allow shoppers to escape from urban living and dive into exciting outdoor activities.

Moreover, those looking to escape aren’t simply in search of new ways to spend time outdoors. They’re looking for creative ways to spend this time with family and friends.

Multi-activity experiences are also on the rise, with solutions like weekend escapes with pre-planner programs gaining popularity. Agile organisations that cater to these shifting preferences are expected to do well in the future.

6. Seeking AI-powered solutions for everyday tasks

Studies uncover thatnearly 80 million of US consumers use artificial intelligence (AI) on a regular basis. This provides businesses with strategic imperatives to incorporate AI to draw on a larger customer base.

While AI has raised many heated discussions over the past few years, AI-powered solutions have gradually started penetrating everyday life.

Global AI shopping trends in 2026 are defined by the rise of “agentic commerce,” where AI assistants heavily mediate product discovery and recommendations before sending consumers to merchant checkouts.

Retailers are also transforming their back-office operations, utilising AI to optimize dynamic pricing, logistics, and predictive inventory management.

In addition, shoppers expect brands to offer a similar customer experience, with optimisation and personalisation at the forefront.

7. Ethical and transparent brands

As AI increasingly takes over a range of different traditional components of business processes and marketing, consumers are actively looking for ethical practices and transparency.

In present times, global ethical and transparent shopping is defined by a demand for verifiable traceability over empty marketing claims.

Driven by eco-regulations and smarter consumers, shoppers actively reward brands that validate their sustainability, fair-labor practices, and clean ingredients, with many willing to pay significant price premiums, alongside value and convenience, which builds consumer trust.

There’s also a growing importance of ethical branding in the minds of modern consumers, as a large portion of shoppers (between 34% and 50%) around the world share that they feel responsible for buying ethical products and actually do so.

This results in trade-offs in spending where higher-value goods at times take precedence over lower-value ones based on the ethical processes, materials, and logistics behind the manufacturing and delivery of the goods.

8. Increased demand for convenience

As the global market becomes more competitive than ever, shoppers are constantly bombarded with information, products, services, brands, and overall – options.

Naturally, this creates a need for convenience, from start to finish throughout the entire shopping experience and journey.

According to research, around 64% of global consumers value convenience when shopping. In addition, they admit that this preference for convenience has become stronger over the last five years.

To make things easier and simpler for buyers, brands are now experimenting with voice commerce, different payment methods, and others to cater to distinct shopping preferences and consumer habits.

9. Growth of subscription services

Another top consumer trend that deserves attention is subscription services.

Subscription businesses are thriving, with studies revealing that the subscription industry is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of between 13.3% and 18.5% by 2033. Overall, the average consumer subscribes to between 5.2 and 5.6 different subscription services.

This significant interest towards this form of commitment is actively inspiring brands around the world to consider implementing this business model into their offering.

Given that the subscription economy is expected to reach a size of $738.82 billion in 2026, this is certainly a segment worth exploring if you’re a business owner looking to attract recurring revenue and a wider customer base.

10. Local and artisanal goods preference

In an interconnected, globalised world, consumers are surprisingly showing a preference for local businesses in efforts to support their local economy.

The local consumer trend mostly derives from a combination of factors that appeal to modern values, ethics, and lifestyles.

Due to the vast range of mass-produced goods, people are actively searching for unique offerings that can help them stand out from the crowd. This desire is also combined with a preference for craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Buying local means that consumers can contribute to the growth of small businesses and overall – their community. Not to mention that shopping from local businesses can also reduce one’s carbon footprint and enable consumers to invest in sustainable practices.

11. Integration of technology in everyday life

As technology continues evolving, it’s also penetrating different aspects of the everyday life of consumers. For example, more and more shoppers are relying on technology for household activities, like cleaning and cooking.

As we’ll see in the next sections, home-based entertainment is also on the rise thanks to technological innovations like advanced gaming solutions, virtual reality and augmented reality systems.

When discussing technology, it’s also key to note that 6.12 billion people around the world were using the internet, compared to 5.52 billion at the start of October 2024, representing more than half of the world’s population.

This creates vast opportunities for brands to digitally connect with their audiences, offering modern and sophisticated shopping alternatives.

12. Rise of the gig and freelance economy

In an economic environment where changes are constantly around the corner, more and more people who specialise in certain skills or the production of goods focus on freelance or the gig economy.

Instead of working at a 9 to 5 job, people around the world are taking advantage of the opportunities remote work offers and the flexibility of freelancing.

Experts expect that the gig economy will reach $455 and $674 billion in revenue in 2026. As of 2024, a third of the world’s workforce was participating in it.

This trend partially explains the interest towards subscription-based services, pay-as-you-go models, and on-demand offerings that cater to unpredictable schedules.

It also impacts online shopping patterns, as freelancers and those who perform remote work prefer the convenience this model offers over physical shopping.

13. Preference for minimalist and simple living

The “Minimalist Seeker” was rated as one of the most important consumer types around the world in 2023, representing 18% of the population. Today, sustainability-driven minimalism is practiced by around 78% of global consumers.

This type of consumer prefers to live a minimalist lifestyle and prioritises price or discount shopping, sustainability, and community issues over all else.

Minimalist buyers rarely invest in products that aren’t essential and don’t fall into the trap of impulsive shopping decisions. Instead, they spend a lot of time on product research and make informed decisions.

They’re highly likely to invest in used items or repair broken products rather than throw them away.

Research suggests that the most efficient ways to target consumers who prefer minimalism and simple living is via offering eco-friendly, locally sourced, or quality materials, providing renting or leasing options, and more.

14. Shift toward home-based entertainment

This year, the Home Entertainment market is valued at between $339 billion and $359 billion, depending on the device used.

But that’s not all.

The global home entertainment market projects a CAGR ranging between 4.1% and 6.4% from 2026 to 2033/2034.

From immersive virtual reality systems to ultra-high-definition TVs, shoppers around the world are embracing all sorts of home entertainment solutions.

Streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify offer incredibly easy access to a myriad of movies, TV shows, music, and more.

The best part is that all of these can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home, as long as you have the right entertainment solutions.

In addition, the evolution of VR and AR systems turns home gaming into a significant entertainment activity, driving spending on such hardware and software solutions.

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15. Popularity of plant-based and alternative diets

Although the vegetarian diet gained popularity a few years ago and has since gradually declined, it’s still among the top preferences for healthy eating today.

This year, the global shift toward plant-based eating is primarily driven by “flexitarians” and health-conscious consumers rather than strict vegans. Global market segments that prefer vegetarian or plant-forward diets over meat-based diets rank as follows:

Flexitarians and “reducetarians”: Primarily Millennials and Gen X, who consciously reduce meat consumption to improve personal health, manage weight, and reduce their carbon footprint. This is the largest global market driver, accounting for roughly 74% of plant-based food consumption. They prefer plant-based proteins, dairy alternatives, and hybrid meat products (which combine animal and plant proteins).
Gen Z and younger Millennials: Consumers aged 18–30 who cite animal ethics, climate change, and sustainability as their primary drivers. This is the fastest-growing segment, with over 40% of Gen Zers actively planning or already following plant-based or reducetarian diets. They drive heavy demand in quick service restaurant (QSR) plant-based fast food and alternative seafood.
Health-conscious integrators and protein maximisers: Fitness-oriented consumers and aging demographics looking to increase protein intake while lowering cholesterol and saturated fat. This segment heavily favors functional plant-based products, natural whole foods (like tofu and tempeh), and protein-dense, clean-label alternatives over heavily processed imitation meats.
Cultural and traditional vegetarians: Popular among populations adhering to longstanding religious or cultural dietary traditions. This segment forms a foundational, stable baseline for traditional plant-based foods and dairy substitutes.
Ethical vegans: Consumers who eliminate all animal products from their diet and lifestyle due to animal welfare and ethical concerns. While they represent the smallest percentage of the global population (estimated at roughly 1.1% or about 88 million people), they drive high-value, niche innovations like plant-based cheeses, vegan milks, and cruelty-free product lines.

16. Increased awareness of data privacy

In today’s highly digital and interconnected world, more consumers are showing an interest in data practices and consumer data protection policies.

The specific percentage of all daily Google queries that belong to the “data privacy” category is roughly 1% to 2% of total global volume. However, the search intent and specific privacy queries are seeing a dramatic surge.

Naturally, customers desire to have every confidence that their private information will be protected and secure. This inevitably reshapes consumer behaviour as customers prefer to shop with brands that guarantee data protection.

17. Preference for contactless and mobile payments

As people opt for a safer, quicker, and more convenient way to make payments, consumer preferences are shifting towards contactless and mobile payment solutions.

Research shows that digital wallet adoption is expected to exceed 5 billion users worldwide.

In addition, more and more people prefer to pay using their mobile devices via digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others.

Conclusion

Understanding the key consumer trends we explored earlier will enable you to craft your business strategies with more precision, catering to your audiences in the best possible way.

Don’t forget that consumer trends are actively shifting as a consequence of dynamic external factors influencing decision-making and buyer behaviour.

To stand out from the crowd, make sure that you stay up to date with the most recent changes and adapt your business to fit the rising interests and habits of your shoppers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is sustainability influencing consumer behaviour in 2026?

Sustainability is a key driver of consumer behaviour in 2026. Shoppers are actively selecting brands that show a commitment to environmental responsibility. This includes a preference for products made from recycled or renewable materials, supporting companies with transparent supply chains, and prioritising businesses that minimise waste and carbon emissions.

How is technology shaping current consumer trends?

The rise of AI and machine learning is enabling more personalised shopping experiences, while advancements in VR and AR are creating new ways for consumers to interact with brands. Additionally, the accessibility and affordability of smart home devices and wearables are leading to increased consumer interest in connected living and digital health solutions.

How can brands change their business strategies based on consumer trends?

In order to cater to the needs of their audiences, brands must understand and adapt to the new consumer trends around the world. This process should be gradual and based on data analysis and informed decision-making. Consider making changes to product offerings, production processes, marketing strategies, communication methods, deliveries, and more.

Sources

Author

Desi Tzoneva