Euromonitor International reveals the top five consumer trends for 2025

In addition to the top consumer habits, the report offers a global overview of how companies can adapt to ever-changing customer expectations, and how different generations impact business dynamics.

Key predictions on customer behaviour trends

Low impulsive-spending rates

According to the report’s data, only 18% of consumers claimed they made frequent impulse purchases in 2024, as the majority of consumers claim they plan to make more strategic and intentional purchasing decisions due to new spending habits created by prolonged economic uncertainties.

Sustainability

Sustainable options are increasingly driven not just by personal values, but also by tangible evidence of the benefits they offer in meeting customer needs. According to Euromonitor’s report, shoppers might buy ethically sourced items for their durability, health benefits, or acceptable price.As a result, as of Q2 2024, there were 5 million online SKUs with sustainability claims across 11 FMCG sectors and 25 countries.

Purchases driven by clarity

Consumers report feeling overwhelmed by constant notifications and an abundance of choices. According to Euromonitor, 42% of consumers made purchases via livestreaming, claiming that product or service features were more clearly presented through this channel.

AI ambivalence

43% of consumers consider generative AI a trustworthy source of information, despite the concerns highlighted by regulators regarding the defects in the output.

This cautious optimism aligns with ongoing efforts to regulate AI responsibly. Initiatives such as the EU AI Act, approved by EU member states, lawmakers, and the European Commission in May 2024, aims to regulate the development, deployment, and application of AI. These regulations are expected to highly impact US technology giants as well, as they operate within the EU.

Additional data points on consumer preferences and ecommerce

• In 2024, 57% of consumers conducted thorough research before purchasing services or products;

• 34% of consumers claim that checkout through digital wallets would improve their online shopping experience;

• 46% of professionals anticipate that generative AI will enable their company to offer more intelligent shopping recommendations in 2025.

The full report contains five consumer trends for 2025, over fifty data points that quantify customer behaviour, sixteen case studies, and fifteen tactics to help businesses respond to evolving expectations.