The 2026 Global Consumer Trends Report: AI Trust, Sustainability Trade-Offs, and the Rise of 'Intentional Consumption'

globainsight today released The 2026 Global Consumer Trends Report, its flagship annual study based on 120,000 consumer interviews across 45 markets. The report identifies five macro trends reshaping consumer behaviour, with a central theme: the rise of what globainsight calls 'Intentional Consumption' — consumers making more deliberate, values-driven purchasing decisions in response to economic pressure, AI ubiquity, and climate concern.

The headline finding: 64% of global consumers now say they 'actively consider a brand's values' before purchasing, up from 47% in 2023. However, only 28% say brands are 'doing a good job' communicating their values authentically — a 19-point gap that presents both a risk and an opportunity for consumer-facing brands.

On AI, the report reveals a nuanced picture: while 58% of consumers say they are comfortable with brands using AI to improve product recommendations, only 31% are comfortable with AI-generated marketing content, and just 22% trust AI-generated product reviews. 'Consumers are drawing sharp lines between AI applications they find helpful and those they find manipulative,' said Dr. Anika Reyes, Director of Consumer Research at globainsight.

The sustainability chapter reveals what globainsight calls the 'Say-Do Gap 2.0': 71% of consumers claim they prefer sustainable products, but when presented with actual purchase scenarios in a conjoint framework, only 34% were willing to pay a premium greater than 5%. 'The gap between stated preference and revealed preference on sustainability is wider than ever,' Reyes noted. 'But within that gap lies an opportunity for brands that can make sustainability affordable and tangible.'

The full 180-page report is available for download at globainsight.com/trends2026.