Data-driven insights to power CPG manufacturer and retailer growth in the year ahead
NIQ’s Consumer Outlook report marries survey and purchase data to deliver the most comprehensive outlook possible. NIQ will uncover the divide between what consumers say and what they do, along with disruptions impacting the retail industry.
Caution may be the new normal, but NIQ’s Consumer Outlook: Guide to 2026 gives manufacturers and retailers the insights and takeaways they need to not just keep pace with—but stay ahead of—whatever comes their way in the year ahead.
Key takeaways
- Consumers are numb to volatility—confidence is misleading. Shoppers have adapted to constant shocks, which makes them feel more confident even though their financial realities haven’t changed. Inflation, everyday expenses, and borrowing costs still squeeze wallets, making volatility a semi-permanent condition leaders must plan around.
- Spending is intentional—every purchase has to earn its place. Shoppers reward retailers and brands that deliver trust, personalization, and convenience. ESG and sustainability are table stakes; today’s consumer wants tangible benefits that simplify their life and align with their values.
- The pricing playbook is over for now. Consumers are tapped out and won’t accept more price hikes. Growth depends on volume—capturing trips and baskets through sharper assortments, innovation, and private label strategies that stretch limited discretionary dollars further.
- Retailers are the new media moguls. Retail media networks (RMNs) are reshaping commerce, blending shopping with advertising at shelf, on apps, and across digital touchpoints. For consumers, RMNs deliver real benefits: personalization, convenience, and loyalty rewards, while forcing retailers and manufacturers to rethink how they scale.
- Private label remains a loyalty lever. Store brands are no longer the “cheap option.” They’re often where shoppers see the best value without compromise, giving retailers margin while pressuring national brands to prove they still belong in consumers’ baskets.
- Commodity volatility is fueling consumer-first innovation. Ingredient price swings—from cocoa to eggs to coffee beans—are forcing reformulation, but they’re also opening doors. Manufacturers that pivot fast with alternatives (e.g., vegan egg replacers that don’t sacrifice on taste or quality) can deliver affordability, functionality, and trust all at once.
- Seamless commerce is the next frontier. Social commerce, quick commerce, and RMNs are converging into one ecosystem. Consumers expect frictionless, personalized, and instant shopping pathways—raising the bar for retailers and manufacturers to deliver everywhere, all at once.
