September 23, 2024 – Innova Market Insights takes a top-down bottom-up approach to identifying and understanding consumer trends. This involves examining the megatrends impacting consumers including economic, social and technological factors as well as their changing lifestyles and attitudes through Innova’s consumer research. We combine this macro context with local market observations from our global trend-spotter network and in depth understanding of category trends. We connect the dots to identify evolving and emerging patterns in consumer attitudes and behaviors and how companies and brands are responding.
What is Driving Consumer Trends?
Consumers are facing many external stresses, especially in terms of health, the environment, the changing global political landscape and personal financial constraints. As a result, they are choosing to take more control for themselves and are evaluating brands more carefully. With the launch of Innova’s Global Consumer Trends for 2025, you will understand why consumers are choosing to invest in health and in feeling mentally and emotionally well, what’s driving their focus on self-sufficiency, how they are evaluating brands and how and where they are looking to inject moments of happiness and release into everyday life.
Understanding the Macro Context
The world feels challenging and dynamic. Our survey shows that the health of the planet is the number one global issue of concern for consumers as the impacts of climate change are more widely experienced. Food insecurity is also on the rise and healthcare systems are under pressure from an aging population, increasing rates of obesity, and mental health issues. With global economic growth remaining subdued, economic uncertainty and job insecurity is also a top 5 global issue of concern for consumers.
The Transformational Effect of Technology
Technology continues to transform lives, whether through advances in biotechnology or the opportunities and challenges presented by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Immersive technologies are also offering consumers different perspectives, experiences and ways to experience the world. Consumers are also spending more time on screens.
What Are Consumers’ Personal Concerns?
Consumers surveyed name personal finances as the top issue, followed by lack of affordable, healthy and nutritious food, and then lack of good health care. The survey also shows political instability is a global issue of concern for consumers. With elections and changes of government seen across the world this year, it’s interesting to note the differences in issues of concern between younger and older consumers. Younger consumers show higher levels of concern about corruption, gender issues and job security than older consumers who exhibit higher levels of concern around political instability, immigration and erosion of social values.
Declining Trust is a Key Issue
Trust is a key issue. In Innova’s Lifestyle and Attitudes Survey consumers were asked how their trust has changed over the past 12 months. According to consumer insights from the survey, consumer trust in government and large global brands and companies is declining. Consumers say the top reasons why their trust in large global brands and companies has declined is due to companies focusing on profits over consumer benefits, having unfair profit distribution and due to greenwashing.
It’s increasingly important to practice integrity and transparency regarding pricing and environmental promises, and to authentically connect to consumer’s values.
Shift towards healthier and more conscious lifestyles
Consumers have been pursuing healthier lifestyles since the pandemic. Innova Market Insights’ survey shows that consumers prioritize investment in health and wellbeing. Consumers are also trying to live more consciously by reducing food waste, recycling, and taking other actions that benefit their health and the planet, like greener transportation and growing their own vegetables. They are also engaging in healthier pursuits with time spent with close friends and family at home, or in nature and the outdoors, while the importance of bars and night venues as social spaces has declined.
Making time for enjoyment
Innova’s survey also shows that consumers are rewarding themselves through everyday experiences with family and friends and treating themselves by spending on holidays and events.
Framed by a good understanding of the shifting context and an on-the-ground understanding of consumer and category dynamics, Innova Market Insights has identified 5 key consumer trends for 2025.
2025 Consumer Trend #1 – Savvy and Self-Sufficient
Being more self-sufficient is the #1 reason consumers are feeling more in control. Today’s digitally empowered consumers are increasingly willing and able to support themselves in aspects such as health, finance, fitness and cooking at home. Macro factors like the cost of living and lack of good health care provision are drivers of this trend. The #1 consumer behavior to be more self-sufficient is cooking from scratch, which is more prevalent among consumers 45+. In contrast, younger groups are doing fitness at home and taking on side hustles.
For brands, understanding ways in which you can help the consumer to feel more informed and empowered, and giving them smart choices is key.
2025 Consumer Trend #2 – Quality and Integrity
Consumer trends 2025 show that consumer trust is declining. Lack of product quality erodes consumer trust in brands. Younger consumers in particular lack trust in brand actions for the environment, including greenwashing. The consumer trend toward quality and integrity means that consumers expect greater honesty and transparency from brands. They seek reassurance that what they buy is worth the price and that purchases align with their values.
Our consumer report contains many pointers and examples regarding how brands can approach the issue of trust and integrity.
2025 Consumer Trend #3 – Positive Best
According to Innova Market Insight’s survey, ‘feeling well’ is the key driver for pursuing a healthier lifestyle for consumers and feeling mentally and emotionally well is the #1 health goal. Consumers are adopting strategies to help them feel their mental and emotional best. Energy and vitality are also key aspirations, while looking good, and feeling body-fit is important for younger consumers.
Within this trend you can learn about different ways of addressing consumer needs and strategies, and potential innovation gaps.
2025 Consumer Trend #4 – Authentic Connections
A key insight is that consumers have a greater appreciation of close connections, nature, and real experiences. They are seeking activities that are more genuine, meaningful, tangible and secure, an antidote to our more digital and transient lives. Connecting over food and drink is central to close connections with friends and family, with more socializing taking place at home. Time in nature and parks and gardens is more appreciated, with nature the second fastest growing space for socializing, while natural ingredients connect to consumer’s wellbeing needs.
2025 Consumer Trend #5 – Transformational Moments
Consumers are seeking experiential moments of happiness that provide emotional uplift through entertainment, a sense of adventure, connection, emotional release, and escape. They prefer to treat and reward themselves with everyday experiences, whether happy moments with family and friends or everyday treats they can consume. Holidays and entertaining events also remain important. What unites these occasions, big or small, is the need for an emotional uplift or mood shift of some sort.
From a brand and innovation perspective, tapping into these moments and offering a sensory and emotional uplift, and a feeling of delight or adventure is important.
This article is based on Innova’s Global Consumer Trends 2025 report. Find out more about this report by booking a demo or reach out to us using our Contact Form.
