Market researcher Numerator, in its 2026 Visions Report, spotlighted financial standing, personal health, brand availability and product performance as factors critical to advancing business through the year.
Based on verified consumer buying behaviors and sentiment captured through its proprietary purchase and survey data, Numerator pointed out that despite widespread expectations of a pullback, consumer spending in 2025 grew at roughly the same pace as 2024 based primarily on persistent inflation and increased trips online. Economic conditions continue to affect spending, but lifestyle and personal perspective will also play a role in consumer purchasing decisions in the year ahead, according to Numerator.
Numerator stated that key factors influencing consumer behavior in 2026 are:
- Financial Standing. Inflation has become the defining force shaping consumer behavior heading into 2026. Consumers still say they are feeling the pinch, with 37% saying rising prices are their primary concern for the coming year, up nine points from July 2025.
- Personal Health. Innovation in the health and wellness sector has fueled growth across product categories from beauty to pet. Consumers are moving towards a more balanced view of wellbeing, with 62% saying they are prioritizing physical and mental health, up from 46% a year past.
- Brand Availability. Companies will have to be more conscious of and up front about what their brands stand for, as 48% of consumers declared that they would stop purchasing from an organization that takes a political or social stance misaligned with their values, up two points from July 2025. In addition, 38% said they participated in at least one consumer boycott in the past year.
- Product Performance. Brands today exist in a more complex consumer landscape. As such, brand runners have to push hard and embrace fresh means of reaching consumers if they are to attract new shoppers and drive repeat purchasing.
