An Executive Voices Blog by Euromonitor International

As we look ahead to 2026, the world of consumer goods is being transformed by several powerful forces that reach across categories and regions. For brands, retailers, and organisations, understanding these shifts is essential to staying relevant and unlocking growth in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Drawing on the latest research from Euromonitor International, four trends stand out as especially influential—Comfort Zone, Fiercely Unfiltered, Rewired Wellness, and the Next Asian Wave.

Comfort Zone: Seeking Calm in Chaotic Times

In a world marked by uncertainty and constant change, overwhelmed consumers are seeking comfort, stability, and a sense of control. According to Euromonitor’s 2025 survey, more than half of consumers experience moderate to extreme stress on a daily basis, which is fueling a “less but better” mindset. This shift is driving demand for products and experiences that offer emotional clarity, sensory reassurance, and practical convenience.

Homes are evolving into restorative spaces, with people gravitating towards soothing scents, soft textures, and smart devices that simplify daily routines. Interest in natural ingredients and stress-relief features is rising, as evidenced by the launch of over 8,000 new natural products online in the year to August 2025. Flexible solutions, such as subscription models, intuitive services, and nostalgic design elements are helping consumers find ease and familiarity in their everyday lives.

For brands and retailers, prioritising calm, wellbeing, and simplicity—by curating assortments and experiences that help consumers feel in control and at ease—will be key to success.

Fiercely Unfiltered: A New Era of Individual Expression

Consumers are increasingly rejecting conformity and embracing authenticity, a shift that is especially pronounced among Gen Z and younger Millennials but that resonates across all generations. People want to express their true selves, unapologetically and without compromise. As a result, personalisation has become paramount.

The era of one-size-fits-all is over, and consumers now expect hyper-personalised products, services, and experiences. They are seeking out brands and spaces—both physical and digital—that celebrate individuality and foster micro-communities. Transparency and trust are now baseline expectations, with clear labelling, honest sourcing, and authentic storytelling becoming essential.

In this environment, emotionally indulgent spending is on the rise, as consumers prioritise purchases that bring personal satisfaction and reflect their unique identities, even in the face of financial pressures. Brands that offer diverse, emotionally resonant choices and build trust through transparency and inclusion will be well positioned to build lasting loyalty. In this new landscape, success lies in standing with consumers, not just for them.

Rewired Wellness: A New Standard for Everyday Wellness

Everyday wellbeing is going high-tech. Wellness is no longer confined to traditional routines—instead, consumers are demanding science-backed, personalised solutions that support their health and longevity.

Three in four people now track health metrics via apps or wearables, and nearly 40% use at-home diagnostics. Consumers expect clinical-grade precision and real-time insights, whether through smart beauty devices, express walk-in restorative services, or other tech-enabled solutions. They also look for medically validated functional ingredients in the products they choose. Younger generations are embracing artificial intelligence tools and customised therapies to inform their choices, while older adults are using digital support to manage age-related concerns.

Nearly half of consumers are willing to pay more for scientifically validated or personalised products, highlighting the growing premiumisation of wellness. Brands that embed diagnostic features, data-driven services, and medically validated benefits into their offerings—making wellness aspirational yet accessible—will find significant opportunities for growth.

Next Asian Wave: Chinese Brands on the World Stage

East Asia’s cultural influence is surging, with Chinese brands moving from niche status to the mainstream on the global stage. These brands are admired for their innovation, design, digital agility, and cultural sophistication. Mobile-first commerce platforms such as TikTok Shop, SHEIN, and Temu are setting new benchmarks for personalisation, affordability, and speed.

Chinese brands are skilfully blending heritage with modernity, offering unique local flavours, aesthetics, and immersive shopping experiences. Their success provides a blueprint for cost efficiency, rapid innovation, and digital engagement. For global businesses, this shift means that consumers increasingly expect originality, cultural storytelling, and swift innovation. To stay competitive, companies must closely monitor emerging trends from China, embrace digital agility, and adapt to new standards of innovation and experience.

Together, these four trends—Comfort Zone, Fiercely Unfiltered, Rewired Wellness, and Next Asian Wave—are not just shaping what consumers buy, but also how they live, connect, and define value. For consumer goods businesses, the path forward is clear. Prioritising authenticity, simplicity, and tech-driven innovation, while delivering experiences that feel personal, culturally relevant, and trustworthy, will be essential. Staying agile and open to global influences will help organisations meet the needs of today’s consumers and set the standard for what comes next in the world of consumer goods.

Euromonitor International helps organizations understand where and how consumers shop through both traditional and emerging retail channels. Comprehensive international coverage and insights as part of syndicated offerings provide retailers, brands, and others in the industry with data and analysis to help guide decisions on investment, expansion and product positioning by category, channel or country. Bridging methodologies based on data science and on-the-ground research, we provide context to strategic and tactical data, helping you answer your biggest challenges and identify opportunities.

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