WARC has released its 2025 Global Consumer Trends report exploring the key issues that will influence consumer purchase decisions across brands and categories over the next year.
Based on a comprehensive set of GWI surveys across 54 markets combined with WARC’s own research, case studies and analysis, the report focuses on five broad trends influencing brand selection: The widening cost-of-living gap, increasing trust in individual creators, AI assistants disrupting the purchase journey, consumers’ proactive approach to health, and the rise of alternative social activities.
Stephanie Siew, Senior Research Executive, WARC, commented: “Amidst persisting economic uncertainty and the unpredictability around US trade tariffs, consumers are becoming more intentional in their spending and taking greater control over different aspects of their lives, particularly in the way they consume information, manage their well-being, and connect with others.
“With this report we aim to provide a wider view of the major issues confronting our industry from the perspective of consumers, with suggestions to help businesses create the most impact in the coming year.”
The report found that 55% of low-income consumers would rather pay less for a cheaper own-brand product than pay more for a brand they know. Spending power is increasingly polarised, and the widening wealth gap is causing a divergence in consumer spending habits.
In the US the wealthiest 10% of households now account for almost half of consumer spending, per Moody Analytics; and UBS predicts the richest millennials will hold five times more wealth by 2030 than they do today, setting them further apart from their peers. Tariffs are likely to accelerate this trend. Compared to higher-income households, lower-income families spend a larger portion of their income on essential goods, including more traded goods like food and apparel.
Consumer attention, meanwhile, is increasingly shifting to non-traditional information sources for news and information. Independent voices such as social media influencers and content creators, which are viewed as more authentic and transparent, are gaining traction.
Access the full report here.
