Rising inflation and economic uncertainty were expected to put an end to discretionary spending for middle-income households. Instead, consumers are making room for indulgence. Across the US, UK, and Europe, households earning moderate incomes continue to prioritize non-essential purchases at rates far closer to affluent consumers than economic models predicted. McKinsey’s 2024 Global Consumer Sentiment Survey found that 42% of middle-income respondents in developed markets still plan to spend on travel, dining out, and personal care in the next year, just nine percentage points lower than high-income households.

The resilience of discretionary spending in the face of rising costs defies conventional economic assumptions. It is not a case of irrationality or denial. It reflects a shift in how consumers measure value. After years of pandemic-driven disruption, middle-class buyers are increasingly framing small luxuries as essential to emotional well-being, not as reckless spending. An affordable meal out, a short domestic trip, or a new skincare product carries more than monetary worth. It represents normalcy, reward, and agency in an environment where larger financial goals often feel less attainable.

This trend is not a short-term reaction to inflation, nor is it purely sentimental. It is structurally rational behavior shaped by stress, lifestyle adjustment, and evolving definitions of security. Spending on modest treats provides a sense of control and immediacy when long-term stability—home ownership, retirement savings—feels increasingly out of reach. Consumers are not abandoning caution; they are recalibrating what prudence looks like in real terms.

Understanding this shift is critical for brands, retailers, and policymakers. Indulgence spending among the middle class is not a deviation from rational economic behavior. It is an adaptation to new realities, where emotional resilience and quality of life have become primary considerations alongside price and necessity.

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Tight Budgets, Sharp Choices

The pressure on household budgets is real. Inflation has driven up the cost of essentials—housing, food, energy—leaving less flexibility for discretionary categories. Yet rather than abandoning non-essential purchases altogether, middle-class consumers are reprioritizing with striking precision. The pattern is visible across the US, UK, and Europe: subscription services are among the first to be cancelled, big-ticket electronics are postponed, and plans for major home renovations are shelved. But the impulse to carve out space for small luxuries remains intact.

KPMG’s 2024 Middle-Class Financial Priorities report highlights this shift. In a survey of households earning between 75% and 150% of median income, nearly 60% reported cutting back on monthly expenses such as media subscriptions and dining delivery apps. However, the same respondents overwhelmingly indicated an intention to preserve budget for “quality of life” items, including occasional dining out, personal care products, and leisure travel under 500 miles. The data suggests that discretionary spending is not vanishing—it is being filtered through a more selective lens.

A similar rebalancing is evident in Europe. OECD research published earlier this year shows that while the ownership of new vehicles among middle-income households declined by over 8% between 2022 and 2024, spending on local travel, cultural events, and specialty food purchases held steady. In the UK, Deloitte’s 2024 consumer tracker found that middle-income households were 30% more likely to describe smaller, experiential purchases as “essential for well-being” than they were before the pandemic.

The underlying dynamic is a redefinition of value. Consumers are moving away from evaluating purchases solely on cost or prestige. Instead, the metric is experiential reward—whether a purchase delivers emotional uplift, stress relief, or a sense of personal investment. A $50 skincare product or a weekend away is justified not by indulgence for its own sake, but by what it represents: a manageable, affirming investment in quality of life.

This sharpening of priorities is not a retreat from financial responsibility. It is a recalibration. Households are preserving choice and pleasure even as long-term goals grow more distant. The middle-class response to inflation is not to close the wallet entirely, but to spend carefully, reinforcing emotional resilience where it matters most.

Where the Money Is Still Flowing

The resilience of middle-class discretionary spending becomes clearest when looking at where the money continues to move. Small luxuries, particularly those offering immediate personal gratification without long-term financial strain, are absorbing a disproportionate share of discretionary budgets. These are not extravagant purchases but considered indulgences—choices that allow consumers to feel rewarded without incurring future economic risk.

Dining out remains one of the strongest performing sectors. Mastercard SpendingPulse data from early 2024 showed that spending at fast-casual and premium-casual restaurants in the US rose by 8% year-on-year, even as fine dining bookings declined. Consumers are trading down from high-end experiences but refusing to give up the social and emotional value of meals shared outside the home. In the UK, Statista reports that visits to casual dining chains increased by nearly one-fifth compared to 2022 levels, concentrated among households earning £30,000 to £70,000 annually.

Beauty and skincare purchases are following a similar trajectory. McKinsey’s 2024 Global Beauty Survey found that middle-income consumers accounted for nearly half of the growth in skincare sales across Europe and North America, often favoring mid-tier brands offering “clinical-grade” results at accessible prices. Rather than abandoning beauty spending, buyers are shifting toward products that promise tangible outcomes—improved skin health, self-care benefits—over prestige branding. The emphasis is not on conspicuous consumption but on self-affirmation.

Domestic travel, particularly short-haul trips, has also proven remarkably resilient. According to Mastercard’s travel trends report, bookings for domestic leisure trips under 300 miles rose by 12% in the US during the past year, primarily driven by middle-income households. European markets such as France and Germany showed parallel trends, with regional rail and car rental bookings outperforming international air travel. Travel, even scaled down, remains a critical outlet for recreation and stress relief, viewed as a justifiable investment rather than a luxury.

Personal wellness has evolved from a niche concern to a consistent budget item. Deloitte’s 2024 Health and Wellness Tracker found that expenditures on fitness apps, meditation subscriptions, and nutritional supplements rose by nearly 15% among middle-income consumers compared to 2022. Spa treatments and boutique fitness sessions also saw modest but steady gains, especially when bundled into affordable packages. Wellness is increasingly framed not as optional self-indulgence but as proactive health maintenance—a narrative that middle-class consumers embrace even under financial strain.

What ties these sectors together is not mere resilience but strategic prioritization. Consumers actively choose experiences and products that deliver emotional payoff without undermining longer-term financial goals. Small luxuries have become part of how households navigate financial pressure, balancing restraint with resilience.

How Indulgence Looks Different Around the World

The appetite for small luxuries is global, but its expression varies sharply across markets. Cultural context, inflationary pressure, and recovery patterns from the pandemic shape how and where middle-class consumers indulge.

In the United States, experience is taking precedence over material accumulation. Mastercard’s 2024 SpendingPulse report shows that while retail sales for durable goods have slowed, spending on travel, dining, and entertainment continues to climb. Middle-income households prioritize activities that create memories and offer a sense of immediacy, even as they pull back on home goods and apparel. The pattern reflects a broader recalibration, where the value of money is increasingly measured in lived experience rather than possessions.

The United Kingdom mirrors this behavioral split, though with sharper trade-offs. Ipsos data published earlier this year indicates that middle-income British households are aggressively trading down on everyday essentials—switching to discount supermarkets and delaying home improvements—while deliberately protecting spending on experiential categories. Budget airline bookings, concert attendance, and dining at independent restaurants remain surprisingly resilient. The message is clear: not all spending is negotiable, even under pressure.

In continental Europe, the indulgence lens often narrows toward artisanal quality. In France and Germany, Euromonitor reports that while overall household budgets have tightened, purchases of artisanal food, skincare, and local leisure travel have held steady or even grown modestly. Consumers are not abandoning discretionary spending, but are redirecting it toward smaller, more meaningful pleasures that emphasize craftsmanship, locality, and authenticity.

Southeast Asia presents a different dynamic, driven by digital acceleration and aspirational consumption. In Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines, middle-income consumers are investing in affordable upgrades—beauty products, domestic travel, and entry-level tech such as smartphones and wearable devices. According to Bain & Company’s 2024 Southeast Asia Digital Economy Report, there has been a surge in beauty e-commerce, with mid-tier brands seeing the fastest growth among urban middle-class buyers. Here, indulgence is closely tied to self-improvement and digital connectivity rather than traditional luxury markers.

China and India present a distinct dynamic. In China, middle-class consumers focus on premium health, wellness, and education-related services. Mastercard’s 2024 China Consumption Outlook shows strong growth in short domestic leisure travel, boutique fitness memberships, and “new luxury” beauty brands that offer substance over logo appeal. In India, indulgence is often family-centered. Euromonitor data highlights that spending on family experiences—mall outings, cinema, casual dining, and affordable domestic holidays—is being prioritized, even as households economize on electronics and apparel. The middle class is seeking small windows of joy that offer collective, not just individual, payoff.

Across these regions, indulgence spending is far from homogeneous. It is shaped by cultural narratives about success, wellness, and emotional reward. Yet the underlying behavior is consistent: even under inflationary strain, middle-income consumers are unwilling to surrender the experiences and products that sustain a sense of control, progress, and personal value.

Why Indulgence Feels Necessary, Not Excessive

The persistence of small luxuries in strained economic times is not a matter of consumer irrationality. It is a rational psychological response to prolonged stress, uncertainty, and shifting social norms. For many middle-class households, small indulgences have moved beyond occasional rewards to become a form of emotional maintenance—a way to reassert agency and sustain morale when broader financial goals feel increasingly distant.

Much of this shift can be traced to the post-pandemic “live for today” mindset. After years of deferred plans and disrupted routines, consumers across income levels have shown a greater willingness to prioritize present-day satisfaction. Behavioral economists point to the acceleration of hedonic adaptation—the tendency to return to a baseline level of happiness despite external changes—as a key factor. When future security feels less certain, spending on immediate emotional uplift becomes a practical way to protect mental well-being.

American Psychological Association research on stress-related spending supports this view. A 2024 report found that nearly 60% of middle-income consumers in the US admitted to occasional “treat spending” as a coping mechanism, with the majority framing such purchases not as extravagance, but as essential self-care. Similar patterns emerged in the UK and Singapore, where smaller, experience-driven expenditures were linked to lower reported stress levels in middle-income groups.

Social behavior further reinforces the normalization of indulgence. Small splurges—dining out, a weekend getaway, a new skincare regimen—are highly visible on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Sharing these moments has become part of how consumers construct narratives of resilience and self-investment. The effect is cumulative. What once might have been considered unnecessary spending is now broadly perceived as a reasonable way to manage life’s pressures.

Rather than retreating into austerity, many middle-class consumers are making conscious choices to maintain emotional balance through manageable rewards. In modern economic conditions, where traditional markers of financial progress are harder to achieve, these decisions are not acts of recklessness. They are strategies for preserving stability, dignity, and optimism in everyday life.

Small Luxuries, Big Opportunities

For brands, the persistence of small indulgences offers more than a temporary sales opportunity. It signals a deeper shift in how consumers assign value—one that demands careful strategic recalibration. Positioning products as accessible rewards or emotional enhancers, rather than as markers of status or success, will increasingly define market relevance.

Middle-class consumers are not looking for extravagant gestures. They are seeking personal moments of satisfaction, convenience, or self-expression that fit into constrained budgets. Products that deliver relaxation, confidence, or small affirmations of progress resonate far more than those that lean heavily on traditional luxury cues. In this environment, storytelling around personal value matters more than aspirational branding. A meal kit that saves time and creates family rituals, a skincare serum that represents self-care rather than vanity, a local mini-break that restores mental clarity—these are the narratives gaining traction.

The danger for brands lies in misreading the room. Overemphasizing luxury, exclusivity, or aspirational distance risks alienating a consumer base that values relatability and tangible benefit over status. Innovation must center on affordability without sacrificing the experience of quality. Smart packaging, modular services, and tiered product lines are helping some brands maintain margins while broadening emotional appeal.

Real-time market research is critical to navigating these shifts. Understanding which categories of small luxuries matter most—and how definitions of indulgence vary between regions, income brackets, and life stages—allows brands to tailor offerings with precision. Blanket assumptions about “affordable luxury” no longer hold. The brands that invest in nuanced, behavior-led insights will be the ones best positioned to capture loyalty in an economy where emotional and financial resilience are increasingly intertwined.

Indulgence in an Age of Restraint

Discretionary spending among middle-income consumers is too often dismissed as irrational, a stubborn refusal to accept economic reality. This view misses the point. Small indulgences are not acts of denial. They are structural adjustments to a world where traditional financial milestones—home ownership, long-term savings, upward mobility—have become harder to secure. Preserving moments of joy, autonomy, and emotional stability has become a rational survival strategy.

Understanding these patterns is critical for anyone forecasting the next phase of consumer behavior. Micro-indulgence is more than a passing phenomenon. It is a leading indicator of broader consumer sentiment, revealing how confidence, stress, and hope are negotiated at the household level. Brands and policymakers that fail to track these shifts will misread the market, mistaking emotional recalibration for economic irrationality.

At Kadence International, our global research shows that middle-class indulgence is not a short-term reaction to inflationary pressure. It is an embedded behavioral shift, one that will continue to shape spending across sectors well beyond the current cycle. Those who frame their growth strategies around emotional consumption, rather than rigid income segmentation, will be best positioned to capture resilience spending in an economy where financial caution and the pursuit of quality of life are no longer at odds, but deeply intertwined.

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In the last year alone, bookings for luxury river cruises by travelers over the age of 65 rose by more than 70%. In Southeast Asia, spa and wellness retreats report that seniors now make up the fastest-growing customer group. And in the United States, recent data shows that older adults are adopting wearable tech at a faster clip than millennials. These aren’t isolated shifts—they’re signals of a broader recalibration underway in global consumption.

For decades, older consumers have been cast in a supporting role: brand loyal, budget conscious, and resistant to change. The stereotype of the frugal retiree—committed to saving, disinterested in trends—has shaped how marketers target, serve, and sometimes overlook the over-65 segment. But the demographic reality has changed, and so have the consumers within it.

Today’s seniors are living longer, staying active, and spending more. In markets like the US and UK, they hold the bulk of wealth and show no hesitation in using it. In Southeast Asia, where aging populations are rising sharply, many seniors are approaching retirement with more education, financial independence, and appetite for indulgence than the generation before them. From travel and wellness to personal tech and home upgrades, older consumers are not only participating—they’re leading demand in categories once reserved for younger buyers.

This isn’t a niche. It’s a market-wide shift. As aging populations expand in both developed and emerging economies, their economic power is no longer confined to healthcare and insurance. It’s influencing the way brands think about experience, design, value, and messaging. Marketers who continue to fixate on youth risk missing one of the most quietly powerful growth segments in the global economy. Because while demographic trends might move slowly, consumer behavior is already changing—and the brands that recognize it early stand to benefit most.

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A New Consumer Class with Global Influence

The global demographic landscape is undergoing a significant transformation. By 2030, individuals aged 65 and older are projected to constitute over 20% of the population in most developed countries, marking a substantial increase from previous decades .​

In the United States, baby boomers—those born between 1946 and 1964—hold a dominant financial position. They control approximately 70% of the nation’s disposable income, making them a formidable economic force . This wealth accumulation is attributed to factors such as prolonged careers and favorable investment returns .​

Regional Spending Patterns

  • Japan: With nearly 30% of its population aged 65 or older, Japan faces unique economic challenges and opportunities. The aging demographic has led to increased demand for healthcare services and age-friendly technologies
  • Singapore: Retired households in Singapore allocate a significant portion of their expenditures to health and wellness. Studies indicate that these households prioritize recreation and cultural activities, reflecting a desire for active and engaged lifestyles
  • United Kingdom: In the UK, seniors are playing a pivotal role in preserving and revitalizing traditional crafts. The resurgence of interest in heritage crafts, such as cask ale brewing, is partly driven by older consumers who value authenticity and tradition .

Emerging Markets

  • India: Urban Indian seniors are exhibiting increased consumer confidence. Recent surveys show a rise in sentiment regarding personal finances and investments, suggesting a growing willingness to spend on quality products and services 
  • Vietnam: Vietnamese seniors are among the most optimistic consumers in Southeast Asia. Their positive outlook translates into active participation in the economy, with increased spending on healthcare, leisure, and technology 

The Spending Habits That Are Defying Age Expectations

The conventional image of older adults as cautious spenders is increasingly outdated. Recent data reveals that seniors are actively engaging in various sectors, from travel and wellness to home improvements and technology, often outspending younger demographics.

Travel and Leisure

Seniors are embracing travel experiences that prioritize comfort and enrichment. In the UK, luxury rail journeys are booming—Railbookers added nearly one new high-end booking for every two made the year prior. Similarly, wellness tourism added more than $200 billion in a single year—growing by nearly one-third to reach $868 billion in 2023, indicating a growing preference for health-focused travel among older adults.

Wellness and Beauty

The pursuit of health and longevity is driving seniors to invest in wellness products and services. Thailand’s wellness economy expanded by nearly $9 billion in just one year, reaching $40.5 billion in 2023, with older consumers contributing significantly to this surge . The global skincare supplement market also reflects this trend, valued at $2.81 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $5.86 billion by 2032 .​

Home and Lifestyle

Aging in place has become a priority for many seniors, leading to increased spending on home modifications. In the U.S., homeowners spent an average of $13,667 on home improvement projects in 2023, with accessibility and comfort being key motivators . Retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s have responded by offering products tailored to the needs of older adults, such as ergonomic fixtures and safety enhancements.

Technology Adoption

Contrary to stereotypes, seniors are increasingly adopting smart technologies. AARP reports that nearly 9 in 10 adults over 50 now use smartphones, with two-thirds streaming on smart TVs and one in three engaging with voice assistants at home. This trend underscores the importance of user-friendly technology that caters to the preferences and needs of older consumers.​

In category after category, senior preferences are leading—not lagging—market demand. Their choices no longer mirror trends; they initiate them.

Challenging the Utility-Only Narrative

The prevailing notion that older consumers prioritize practicality over pleasure is increasingly being challenged. Increasingly, older consumers are choosing experiences that deliver joy, autonomy, and a sense of identity—not just utility.

Seniors are drawn to luxury not for function alone, but for how it affirms identity. A 2025 study by Bargaoui found that older adults associate luxury consumption with emotional reward and self-worth—a signal that indulgence and aspiration are still core drivers well past middle age.

This shift in consumer behavior necessitates a reevaluation of product positioning strategies. For instance, hearing aids are increasingly marketed not just as medical devices but as lifestyle enhancers that seamlessly integrate with other technologies. Apple’s approach to product design exemplifies this trend. Features like Voice Control and fall detection are incorporated into devices like the iPhone and Apple Watch, offering functionality that appeals to seniors without overtly targeting them as a separate demographic. 

The same logic applies outside of tech. In the UK, older travellers are fueling demand for immersive rail experiences built around comfort, not spectacle. In Southeast Asia, seniors are driving bookings at wellness retreats that blend self-care with cultural depth.​

Why the Marketing World Still Prioritizes Youth

Despite the growing economic influence of older consumers, advertising strategies continue to disproportionately target younger demographics. This focus persists even as individuals aged 50 and above contribute significantly to consumer spending.​

In the United States, consumers over 50 account for more than half of all consumer spending. However, only 5–10% of marketing budgets are allocated to engage this demographic . This disparity is not limited to the U.S.; in the United Kingdom, over-50s represent a third of the population and hold 80% of the nation’s wealth, yet they remain largely invisible in advertising campaigns 

Several factors contribute to this imbalance. One is the composition of the advertising industry itself. According to Forbes, only 5% of ad agency employees are over 50, and most do not work in creative departments . This lack of age diversity within agencies can lead to a limited understanding of older consumers’ preferences and needs.

There remains a persistent stereotype that older consumers are less receptive to digital media. Yet data shows adults aged 55 and above now spend over half (54.4%) of their media time online—a shift that challenges the industry’s long-held assumptions.

Neglecting the older demographic not only overlooks a substantial market segment but also poses risks to brand relevance and loyalty. Competitors who recognize and address the needs of older consumers can capture market share and build lasting relationships. The influence of older consumers isn’t coming. It’s already reshaping how value is defined across categories—from beauty to tech to travel. Brands still tethered to a youth-first playbook aren’t just behind the trend—they’re blind to where the momentum has moved.

Meeting Older Consumers Where They Are

A handful of brands are beginning to adjust course—not by singling out older consumers with age-stamped campaigns, but by rethinking product design, messaging, and experience in ways that recognize the influence and expectations of this group.

L’Oréal has expanded its age-inclusive approach beyond token representation. In markets like the UK and Japan, it has invested in research and formulation targeting mature skin, while casting women over 60 in its mainstream campaigns—not in niche “silver” editions. What’s notable is the absence of the patronizing tone that once marked age-focused advertising. The positioning is subtle: aspirational without being age-anxious, confident without being corrective.

In travel, companies like Viking and Belmond have seen a surge in demand from older travelers seeking richer, more immersive journeys over fast-paced itineraries. These brands have responded by retooling the product—not just offering mobility-friendly options, but reshaping the tone of travel itself. Longer stays, expert-led local immersion, and a focus on comfort over spectacle have proven to resonate. It’s not age that defines the appeal, but sensibility.

Tech companies have also begun to shift. Apple, as noted, integrates accessibility features across its product suite, yet never markets them explicitly as “senior” tools. Voice commands, larger interfaces, and health tracking appeal to all users, but are particularly beneficial for older ones. This universality is intentional—and effective. In 2023, adoption of the Apple Watch among consumers aged 60 and above increased by more than 25% year over year, according to Counterpoint Research.

In Southeast Asia, telcos and financial platforms are investing in UX overhauls aimed at improving digital fluency for older users. Singtel’s wellness and lifestyle offerings for seniors, for instance, go beyond low-cost data plans to include curated content, concierge services, and simple app layouts tailored to common needs. The pitch isn’t that seniors are less tech-savvy—it’s that good design should accommodate everyone.

These brands succeed not by targeting older consumers differently—but by removing age as a constraint. Their advantage lies in recognizing behavior, not categorizing it.

For brands looking to operationalize these insights, the following cheat sheet outlines actionable ways to better engage senior consumers across touchpoints—from UX and messaging to service and product design.

How to Appeal to Senior Consumers

CategoryBest Practices
Customer Understanding– Segment by behavior, not just age- Use in-depth interviews and observational research, not just online surveys
UX & Product Design– Font size ≥ 14–16pt, high contrast text- Simple, intuitive navigation- Large touch zones (≥44x44px)- Screen reader–friendly code- Clear, concise copy without jargon- Progress indicators and confirmation messages- Design with accessibility (WCAG) in mind
Customer Service– Maintain responsive phone support- Use empathetic, clear communication- Ensure continuity across channels (phone, in-store, digital)- Offer personalized follow-up (call, mail, or email)
Marketing Channels– Email (well-targeted, not overwhelming)- Google Search (strong SEO and PPC)- Facebook (high usage globally among 60+)- YouTube (growing for how-tos, lifestyle)- Traditional media (TV, print) still valuable in key sectors
Messaging & Tone– Aspirational, not patronizing- Purpose-led (quality, legacy, sustainability)- Emotionally intelligent (family, community, joy)
– Feature active, diverse older adults—not stereotypes
Product & Service– Prioritize ergonomic, easy-to-use design- Offer modular or personalized options- Highlight safety, quality, and customer support- Allow for trials or no-commitment use (especially for tech or wellness)

Age Is No Longer a Signal of Decline—It’s a Forecast of Opportunity

For decades, brands have treated older consumers as the end point of a lifecycle—an audience to retain, not one to build around. That logic no longer holds. Seniors are not only outliving the systems built to serve them—they are outspending, outpacing, and, increasingly, out-influencing expectations.

They are the early adopters of wellness routines previously marketed to 30-somethings, the repeat buyers of luxury services, and the most consistent upgraders of home technology. Their behavior is not defined by age, but by intent. And if there’s one insight brands should act on now, it’s this: longevity is no longer just a medical issue. It’s a commercial one.

Their economic power is growing, but their motivations remain misunderstood. Too often, research flattens them into averages, surveys them through outdated assumptions, and overlooks the complexity that defines their choices. This is not just a missed opportunity. It’s a strategic blind spot.

To lead in the decade ahead, brands need to stop asking how to market to older consumers and start asking what they are telling us through the choices they make. That shift—from messaging to meaning—is where research proves its value. Not in confirming what we think we know, but in uncovering the complexity we’ve long overlooked.

In a marketplace increasingly driven by flexibility, aspiration, and self-determination, it may be the oldest consumers who are best positioned to show us what the future looks like. But only if we ask better questions—and actually listen.

Looking to better understand the evolving expectations of senior consumers—or any audience segment reshaping your market? At Kadence International, we help brands uncover the insights that drive results. Through in-depth research across key global markets, we go beyond demographics to decode behaviors, motivations, and emerging opportunities. Let’s start working together today.

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British shoppers are entering a new era of grocery buying – less impulsive, more deliberate, and increasingly shaped by price. Grocery inflation rose to 3.5 percent in March, capping off two years of compounded cost pressure. Supermarket sales have softened, not because people are walking away, but because they’re buying fewer items and skipping anything that doesn’t feel essential.

Essentials are winning, volume is shrinking, and price has become the lead story. This shift isn’t just thrift – it’s agency. After months of rising bills and economic fatigue, shoppers are regaining a sense of control by editing their baskets. That often means skipping branded goods and sticking to private labels.

Discounters are reaping the gains. Aldi’s market share is up to 11 percent, and Lidl is outpacing rivals in sales growth. But this isn’t just about who’s winning – it’s about how. Shoppers aren’t compromising; they’re recalibrating. Value now means quality at the right price, not a badge name. What’s happening isn’t tactical – it’s behavioral.

What distinguishes this period from past inflation spikes is the speed and confidence of the switch. Brand loyalty, long considered a mainstay of British retail, is now a conditional contract. If a supermarket can’t justify its price point – through quality, loyalty perks, or convenience – shoppers will walk.

Retailers are moving fast to keep up: shrinking private-label ranges to what works, tuning promotions, and reframing value as a daily promise. On paper, it looks like a margin problem. In reality, it’s a permanent shift in how households define value – and there’s little reason to think it’ll snap back.

This isn’t a belt-tightening moment. It’s a consumer reorientation. People aren’t just buying less; they’re buying differently. And in doing so, they’re quietly forcing a reset in how the UK grocery industry defines, delivers, and earns loyalty.

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Inflation at the Checkout: What’s Really Driving the Shift? 

Walk through any UK supermarket right now, and the change isn’t just in the receipt – it’s in the way people are shopping. Labels are read more slowly. Own-brand products are picked up, put back, then chosen again. Familiar items suddenly feel like indulgences.

What’s happening at the checkout isn’t just about price increases. It’s a psychological shift. Shoppers aren’t just spending less – they’re thinking differently. The same budget now feels tighter, not only because of higher prices but because of how those prices are being perceived.

Anchoring is one reason. Consumers aren’t comparing this week’s price to last week’s – they’re comparing it to what they used to pay before “everything got expensive.” That reference point, even if outdated, sticks. When a block of cheese crosses the £3 mark, it doesn’t matter if it’s only a 5p rise – it’s crossed an invisible line. And that line reshapes everything around it.

Mental accounting adds another layer. People are rebalancing invisible budgets in their heads. Spend £2 more on milk, and that £2 has to come from somewhere else. They’re not just making trade-offs – they’re making calculations. Essentials stay, extras go, and even mid-tier items are under scrutiny if there’s a cheaper equivalent close by.

Then there’s price perception. It’s not what something costs – it’s what it feels like it should cost. That’s why a 10% rise might barely dent volume in one category but trigger a collapse in another. It’s not rational, but it’s real – and it’s guiding what goes in the basket.

For retailers and brands, this moment demands more than sharper pricing. It requires fluency in how shoppers frame value. That might mean pricing just below emotional thresholds or structuring offers that signal stability – even when costs are climbing. In this climate, perception can be as powerful as reality.

What does inflation feel like in real terms? The chart below shows just how much everyday items have risen since 2020.

How-inflation-has-impacted-the-everyday-basket-in-the-UK

Brand Erosion in the Era of the Basket Reboot

Brand loyalty isn’t dead – but it’s under review. Across the UK, what once felt automatic is now under scrutiny. Shoppers are looking at familiar labels, hesitating, and reaching for something cheaper – often store-brand, often good enough.

It’s not just trading down. It’s trading out. The basket reset happening now is exposing which brands still hold meaning and which were riding on habit. In categories like cereal, canned goods, and pasta sauces, private label has moved from backup plan to first choice. When shoppers feel squeezed, brand preference isn’t about awareness – it’s about justification.

The most vulnerable brands are the ones that rely on shelf presence and recognition without clearly articulating why they cost more. A fancy label or nostalgic logo doesn’t hold up when the price delta is visible, and the value isn’t. Own-label is no longer the compromise – it’s the baseline.

Supermarkets know this. That’s why they’ve built out three-tiered private label strategies: essential ranges for price-sensitive shoppers, core lines that match national brands on quality, and premium sub-brands designed to compete with legacy products on both taste and packaging. In many cases, they’re winning on all three fronts.

Branded suppliers are feeling the squeeze. Promotions are being pulled. Negotiations are tighter. Some products are being delisted entirely as retailers prioritize margin and private-label growth. Even in higher-margin categories like snacks and beverages, shoppers are experimenting more – and defaulting less.

This moment demands more than marketing. It demands a proposition that holds up under pressure. Brands that offer clear functional benefits – whether that’s health, sustainability, or convenience – still earn a place. But those that relied on emotional inertia are being quietly swapped out, one basket at a time.

The question for consumer goods companies isn’t just how to defend share. It’s how to rebuild relevance. Because if shoppers are open to changing their habits, they’re also open to forgetting the brands that no longer reflect how they want to spend.

Also, read our study on the UK’s Cost of Living Crisis here.

The New Class of Smart Shoppers

Frugality has rebranded itself – and fast. What used to be framed as a necessity or even a source of quiet shame has become a signal of control, intention, and in many cases, pride. The UK’s cost-of-living pressures have given rise to a new kind of grocery shopper: not just cost-conscious, but value-literate.

This isn’t driven solely by economics. It’s cultural. Discount shopping has moved out of the shadows and into the spotlight. TikTok is full of haul videos not from high-end retailers, but from Aldi and Lidl – highlighting bulk buys, dupes, and smart swaps. The tone isn’t apologetic. It’s instructional. Look what I saved. Look how much farther I stretched my budget. There’s a certain confidence in the captions: “You’d be mad to pay more.”

Digital tools have amplified the shift. Couponing, once a paper-based pursuit of extreme savers, has gone mobile and mainstream. Apps like Too Good To Go and supermarket loyalty platforms now offer real-time deals that reward flexibility, not just spending. Younger shoppers – especially millennials with families and Gen Z renters – are building grocery strategies around digital offers and flash pricing. Price matching isn’t a race to the bottom; it’s a form of skill.

What’s changed is the identity that surrounds all this. Saving money used to imply you didn’t have it. Now, it implies you’re informed. Especially among middle-income shoppers, there’s been a quiet erosion of stigma. Being a “deal hunter” no longer contradicts being design-conscious or health-focused. You can buy the store-brand canned tomatoes and still splurge on artisanal olive oil. You can track every penny and still care about the story behind your coffee.

This hybrid mindset – blending thrift and selectivity – is what many legacy brands are still struggling to read. Their customers didn’t disappear. They just rewrote the rules of what makes a product worth paying for.

It’s no longer enough to assume aspiration equals premium. In this landscape, brands have to justify every line of the receipt. They need to speak the language of value – but not just through lower prices. It’s about usefulness, quality, longevity, and emotional return on spend.

Smart shoppers aren’t waiting for brands to get it. They’re building baskets that reflect who they are now – pragmatic, digitally fluent, and empowered by information, not overwhelmed by it. The question isn’t whether this shift will last. It’s whether brands can keep up with customers who’ve stopped equating value with volume – and started defining it for themselves.

Retailers Rewrite the Rules

Retailers have stopped waiting for shoppers to come back to old habits. Instead, they’re adapting to new ones – fast. The traditional promotional cycle, once built around limited-time offers and seasonal spikes, has been replaced by something more fundamental: proving long-term value in real-time.

That shift is showing up everywhere. Tesco’s Clubcard Prices and Sainsbury’s Nectar Prices have moved from reward mechanics to central pricing strategies. What began as a loyalty tactic is now a core part of how these retailers compete with discounters. And it’s not just about price. It’s about visibility. Price tags on shelves now tell a story of what the customer is saving, not just spending.

Even premium grocers are adjusting. Waitrose, long associated with quality-first positioning, has expanded its Essentials range and emphasized value messaging in advertising. Its recent campaigns have spotlighted affordability without abandoning tone, suggesting that smart shopping doesn’t have to mean compromise.

But nowhere is the shift more aggressive than in private label. Across the sector, own-brand lines have become the innovation lab. Aldi and Lidl continue to lead, not just with price, but with product development that mirrors – and sometimes beats – national brands. The battleground isn’t just about matching flavor or format anymore. It’s about convenience, sustainability, and shopper emotion. A well-packaged ready meal that costs less and feels like a small win at the end of a long day? That’s more powerful than a deep discount.

Retailers are also experimenting with format. Smaller footprint stores are popping up in urban areas, designed around the grab-and-go shopper who wants efficiency, not abundance. Meal deals, shoppable recipes, “value hacks” – all of it engineered to speak the new shopper’s language: stretch, save, simplify.

Marketing has evolved in step. Circulars and point-of-sale have been replaced by in-app push notifications, hyper-local personalization, and digital shelves that highlight time-sensitive offers. Messaging is less about indulgence and more about empowerment. You’re not just saving money; you’re being smart. You’re beating the system.

The result is a retail environment where success no longer comes from a breadth of range or deepest pockets. It comes from relevance – knowing who your customer is today, what trade-offs they’re willing to make, and how to meet them with the right balance of function, emotion, and frictionless value.

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Case Study: How Aldi Became the Benchmark for Value With Purpose

Aldi’s rise in the UK has long been tied to price, but its current momentum speaks to something deeper: cultural relevance. While many retailers are reacting to consumer caution, Aldi has anticipated it – shaping not just how people shop but also how they think about spending.

Its private label dominance is no longer just about cost-cutting. Aldi has invested heavily in product development and packaging design that challenges branded equivalents, often earning accolades in blind taste tests. Shoppers aren’t settling – they’re discovering. Categories like wine, ready meals, and snacks now generate loyalty not as substitutes, but as preferred choices.

Where Aldi’s strategy truly stands out is in how it aligns with emerging shopper identity. The brand doesn’t apologize for low prices. It builds pride around them. Recent campaigns have leaned into humor and confidence, casting Aldi customers as smart, in-the-know shoppers rather than bargain hunters. The brand’s “Like Brands. Only Cheaper.” messaging isn’t defensive – it’s disruptive.

In-store, Aldi’s stripped-back format reinforces that every inch of shelf space must earn its keep. The tight range, fast checkout model, and curated promotions reflect a retailer that understands time, budget, and simplicity as core values – not just marketing points.

Aldi isn’t winning by chasing premium. It’s winning by reshaping what premium means in the mind of today’s value-driven consumer.

What Comes Next for Grocery, Brand Building, and British Retail

This isn’t just a cycle – it’s a structural shift. The current realignment in UK grocery is forcing a deeper redefinition of how brands are built, how value is communicated, and what kind of loyalty can actually be sustained in a low-growth, high-scrutiny environment.

The old model – premium equals quality, discount equals compromise – has fractured. What’s rising in its place is a hybrid mindset: shoppers who blend store brands and branded goods, who track savings as a personal KPI, and who want clarity in place of clutter. For brands and retailers, the challenge is no longer just about margin. It’s about meaning.

Products will still matter – but the story around them matters more. Why this? Why now? Why at this price? The brands that survive won’t just be better stocked or better known – they’ll be better understood. That means strategy rooted in real consumer behavior, not assumptions. It means investing in insight before investing in shelf space.

We’ve entered an era where margins are thinner, decisions faster, and the consumer’s tolerance for noise almost nonexistent. The winners will be those who can decode the mindset behind the spend – what drives trust, what cues value, what kills interest – and adapt before the data shows up in declining sales.

For British retail, this could be a renaissance moment. But it will favor the precise, not the broad. Those who treat their audience as a living, evolving signal – not a static segment – those who invest in listening as much as launching.

Because the real growth ahead won’t come from pushing more into baskets. It will come from knowing what truly earns a place there.

A Market Redefined by Value Will Reshape the Industry

What’s happening in UK grocery right now isn’t a blip. It’s a reset. A recalibration of trust, relevance, and what constitutes a purchase worth making.

For brands, the margin for error has collapsed. Shoppers are not just selective – they’re strategic. They aren’t waiting to be impressed. They’re asking harder questions: Is this worth it? Is this credible? Does it deliver more than just a label?

Retailers that respond with nuance – not just price cuts – are the ones shaping the future. The discounter isn’t the disruptor anymore; it’s the new center of gravity. Traditional grocers that once competed on scale or loyalty must now compete on understanding. That means fewer assumptions, more clarity, and a sharper grasp on how value is perceived – not just priced.

Consumer behavior isn’t snapping back. Once a shopper has built a new mental model of spending – one grounded in empowerment, not deprivation – it tends to stick. The post-abundance era doesn’t signal a withdrawal from consumption. It signals a new consciousness around it.

Over the next five years, British retail will be defined not by who shouts the loudest but by who listens best. That requires precision, pattern recognition, and real, ongoing intelligence on the evolving expectations of the people pushing the trolleys.

Smart brands won’t just ride this out. They’ll use it to rebuild better – on foundations that reflect today’s shopper, not yesterday’s playbook.

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The Philippine gambling industry operates within a structured but complex regulatory framework, with multiple entities overseeing different aspects of gaming. While legal, state-regulated gambling platforms thrive, underground gambling networks continue to exist, shaping the broader betting environment. Understanding these structures is essential to navigating the evolving landscape of both traditional and online betting.

PAGCOR Regulates Casinos and Online Betting

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is the chief regulatory body overseeing casinos, integrated resorts, and online gaming platforms. As a state-run corporation, PAGCOR plays a dual role – it licenses gaming establishments and operates its gaming businesses, contributing a significant portion of revenue to national development projects.

  • PAGCOR is responsible for issuing land-based and online gambling operators’ licenses and enforcing compliance with national gaming laws.
  • The agency has ramped up efforts to crack down on illegal online gambling platforms, which continue to attract unregulated activity.
  • PAGCOR generates revenue for education, healthcare, and infrastructure development, reinforcing its economic importance.

However, while PAGCOR controls regulated online betting platforms, it does not oversee all gambling activities in the Philippines.

PCSO Oversees State-Sanctioned Lotteries and Sweepstakes

Separate from PAGCOR, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) manages lotteries, sweepstakes, and Small Town Lottery (STL) operations. Unlike casinos and online betting, which fall under PAGCOR’s jurisdiction, PCSO exclusively handles lottery-based gambling.

  • PCSO operates Lotto, STL, Keno, and scratch-card games, which are widely played nationwide.
  • Some of PCSO’s revenue funds public health programs, medical assistance, and disaster relief efforts.
  • Many Filipino bettors prefer PCSO-backed games because they are backed by the government, have regulatory oversight, and contribute to social welfare.

PCSO’s focus on lottery and sweepstakes means it does not oversee or profit from the growing digital betting industry, which falls under PAGCOR’s jurisdiction.

Illegal Gambling Remains a Shadow Market

Despite government oversight, unregulated gambling activities remain deeply ingrained in certain regions, particularly in lower-income and rural communities. Underground betting networks, such as Jueteng, Masiao, and Sakla, continue to attract players who prefer informal wagering over state-sanctioned alternatives.

  • Jueteng, an illegal numbers game, is widespread and operates outside government control.
  • Masiao, another underground lottery, thrives in Visayas and Mindanao.
  • Sakla, a card-based gambling game, is frequently played at wakes and community gatherings despite legal restrictions.

These informal games persist due to the following:

  • Accessibility in rural areas where formal gambling establishments are scarce.
  • Perceived fairness due to community-driven prize distribution.
  • A reliance on cash-based transactions, avoiding the digital footprint required by legal betting platforms.

How This Framework Shapes Gambling Preferences

The interplay between regulated gambling, state lotteries, and illegal gaming influences how and where Filipinos place their bets.

  • Traditional gamblers prefer PCSO-regulated games due to their legitimacy and social impact.
  • Skepticism toward online gambling is fueled by concerns over fraud, scams, and lack of oversight.
  • The rise of e-wallets is driving gambling toward cashless transactions, but many lower-income players still rely on informal, cash-based betting.

For brands, gaming operators, and financial service providers, navigating this landscape requires balancing digital innovation with credibility. Establishing transparency, security, and regulatory compliance will be critical in shaping the future of gambling in the Philippines.

A High-Stakes Shift in Filipino Gambling Habits

Gambling in the Philippines has moved beyond casinos and betting halls. Mobile platforms and digital payments have broadened access, attracting a diverse range of players across ages and income levels. Yet, despite the digital surge, traditional gambling remains deeply woven into the routines of Filipino bettors.

Who Are the Players?

Gambling in the Philippines is still largely male-dominated, with nearly two-thirds of bettors being men. Yet, participation cuts across generations – from young adults to seniors – highlighting its dual role as a form of entertainment and a potential financial opportunity.

A striking finding from our study is the high participation of non-earning individuals – homemakers and the unemployed make up 18% of gamblers. For many, gambling isn’t just a pastime; it’s seen as a potential source of income despite the inherent risks.

More than half of Filipino gamblers come from lower-income households, earning between PHP 9,000 and PHP 18,200 a month. This underscores how gambling is often fueled by economic aspirations, with many hoping for a financial windfall.

What Drives Filipinos to Gamble

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The motivations behind gambling in the Philippines extend beyond entertainment. For many players, betting represents a chance to win big, a way to engage socially, or even a financial strategy during economic uncertainty. Understanding these motivations is critical for brands, gaming operators, and financial service providers looking to navigate shifting consumer betting behaviors.

Winning Is the Primary Driver

Across traditional and online gambling, the biggest motivator for Filipino players is the prospect of high rewards. The possibility of achieving financial gain is the primary motivator for gambling, especially among those with lower incomes, for whom a single win could be life-changing. While entertainment is still a factor, it is secondary to the allure of potential wealth.

Dual Players Show a Clear Preference for Online Betting

Among those who engage in both traditional and online gambling, our findings reveal a clear inclination toward digital platforms. 65% of dual players prefer online games over their traditional counterparts. The reasons behind this shift point to the strengths of digital gambling.

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However, the remaining 35% of dual players still prefer traditional gambling, citing factors such as trust and reliability, competitiveness and cost considerations.

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The Expanding Digital Divide in Gambling

Despite the surge in digital gambling, a clear divide remains. Younger players and those in Metro Manila are drawn to online betting, while rural and older gamblers stick with traditional formats, reflecting deep-rooted habits and varying levels of digital access.

Trust and accessibility shape where Filipinos place their bets. While online gambling offers convenience, many remain wary of digital platforms due to concerns about transparency and fraud. This skepticism drives players toward government-backed PCSO games, which are seen as more reliable and secure.

What This Means for Brands and the Gambling Industry

Gambling in the Philippines is a blend of tradition and transformation. Digital platforms are on the rise, but they haven’t replaced traditional gambling. Instead, both coexist, appealing to different audiences shaped by factors like access, trust, and personal motivations.

This shift brings both challenges and opportunities for gaming operators and financial service providers. The rise of digital platforms and e-wallets points to a growing cashless gambling economy. Yet traditional gaming’s resilience underscores the need for hybrid strategies that serve both digital-savvy players and those loyal to legacy systems.

Traditional and Online Gambling Compete for Player Loyalty

The Philippine gambling industry is evolving, but the digital shift isn’t absolute. Online betting is gaining ground, yet traditional gambling holds strong, especially among rural and lower-income players. The dynamic market, with both formats thriving on distinct motivations and behaviors.

The Enduring Appeal of Traditional Gambling

Traditional games still dominate among Filipino bettors, with 8 in 10 preferring them over online options. This strong loyalty reflects deep-rooted trust in familiar betting practices. In-person gambling is especially popular among older players, those in rural areas, and individuals at both ends of the income spectrum.

Several factors contribute to this continued reliance on traditional gaming:

  • Trust and Credibility: Many players feel more confident betting through PCSO-regulated games, which they perceive as having higher transparency and legitimacy.
  • Limited Digital Access: Some bettors lack reliable internet connections, making physical betting outlets more accessible.
  • Avoidance of Digital Risks: Concerns about scams and fraudulent online betting platforms keep some players loyal to traditional gambling.

These insights suggest that traditional gaming remains a cornerstone of the gambling industry, not just for legacy players but for those who prioritize trust and accessibility over convenience.

Online Gambling Is Growing, but Old Fears Linger

The growth of online gambling in the Philippines is undeniable, with digital platforms offering ease of access and round-the-clock availability. Our study found that 85% of online gamblers own smartphones, reflecting the strong link between mobile penetration and digital betting.

But despite its rapid growth, online betting hasn’t overtaken traditional formats, largely due to lingering concerns about trust and reliability.

Many traditional bettors remain skeptical, citing:

  • Unregulated platforms with questionable security and fairness.
  • Unreliable internet access that can interrupt gameplay.
  • Lack of personal interaction, a key part of the gambling experience for some.

Still, for younger and Metro Manila-based bettors, the convenience of digital betting outweighs these concerns. The ability to place bets anytime, anywhere, and check results instantly via mobile apps has become a compelling factor in online gambling’s growth.

What This Means for the Industry

The battle between traditional and online gambling is not a case of one format overtaking the other but rather an industry adapting to diverse consumer needs. While online gambling offers accessibility and ease of use, traditional betting maintains a stronghold among players who prioritize trust, regulation, and in-person transactions.

This means balancing innovation with credibility for brands, gaming platforms, and financial service providers. The path forward involves:

  • Strengthening consumer trust in digital betting platforms through transparency, regulation, and fraud prevention measures.
  • Enhancing accessibility for rural players by integrating hybrid betting solutions that combine digital convenience with physical cash-in points.
  • Leveraging mobile technology to attract younger bettors while ensuring safe, fair, and responsible gambling practices.

Understanding player motivations and addressing concerns will determine the trajectory of gambling in the Philippines.

The Role of Financial Constraints and Perceived Value

Interestingly, financial constraints play a different role depending on the format. While some gamblers are drawn to online betting for its lower-cost entry points and flexible wagering, others see traditional gambling as a more secure and controlled way to bet.

  • Online bettors appreciate the ability to wager small amounts frequently.
  • Traditional gamblers, particularly those in lower-income brackets, may view larger, less frequent bets as a more strategic approach.

This distinction reinforces the idea that the gambling industry in the Philippines is not a one-size-fits-all market. Instead, players’ financial situations, risk tolerance, and perceptions of fairness all shape how and where they choose to gamble.

What This Means for Brands and Operators

For gaming companies, fintech firms, and policymakers, understanding what drives gamblers is key to creating responsible, engaging experiences. Our data points to clear opportunities:

  • Boost engagement by highlighting jackpot prizes and adding gamification features to online platforms.
  • Build trust through stronger transparency, security measures, and regulatory oversight to ease skepticism among traditional bettors.
  • Promote responsible gaming with solutions that reflect players’ financial realities, ensuring gambling stays entertainment – not a financial risk.

While the Philippine gambling market evolves, player motivations remain constant: the pursuit of rewards, the need for trust, and easy access. The brands that balance these factors will shape the industry’s future.

Why Online Gambling’s Boom Faces a Trust Hurdle

Online gambling is booming in the Philippines, but trust remains a major roadblock. Mobile-first platforms, e-wallets, and instant access have fueled its growth, yet concerns about fraud, transparency, and weak regulation continue to shape player behavior. For many, loyalty depends not just on convenience but on feeling secure.

From Occasional to Everyday

Online gambling has shifted from a casual pastime to a daily habit for many Filipinos:

  • In 2022, 29% of players gambled online daily, averaging three sessions per week.
  • By 2023, that number jumped to 39%, with players betting four times a week on average.

This surge reflects the ease of mobile betting and the appeal of quick, cashless transactions. The ability to place bets anytime, anywhere has made online gambling the go-to choice for a growing audience.

Top Online Games and Betting Platforms Are Gaining Traction

As online gambling gains momentum, specific games and platforms have emerged as clear favorites.

Top-online-games-and-betting-platforms-in-The-Philippines

The dominance of e-wallet-powered platforms highlights a critical industry trend: cashless gambling is becoming the norm. With e-wallets enabling seamless deposits and withdrawals, players are gravitating toward platforms that offer frictionless transactions.

Trust Issues Are Slowing Online Adoption

Despite the convenience of online betting, skepticism remains a major hurdle. Our study found that:

  • 27% of traditional gamblers choose to avoid online betting because they do not trust digital platforms.
  • Concerns about scams, unreliable payouts, and unregulated operators are common deterrents.
  • Lack of internet access remains a barrier for 14% of players, preventing them from fully transitioning to digital platforms.

For many, the reliability of PCSO-backed traditional games outweighs the accessibility of online gambling. This signals a need for stronger industry regulation, clearer consumer protections, and better fraud prevention measures to build confidence in digital betting platforms.

What This Means for the Industry

The expansion of online gambling in the Philippines hinges on trust, security, and seamless user experience. While mobile-first gaming is gaining popularity, its long-term success will depend on how well operators address consumer concerns.

To sustain growth, industry players must:

  • Strengthen regulatory frameworks to increase transparency and consumer confidence.
  • Implement advanced fraud detection and security measures to protect players from scams.
  • Leverage fintech partnerships to enhance the credibility of digital betting transactions.
  • Improve digital accessibility to ensure all players, regardless of location or financial status, can participate safely.

The future of online gambling in the Philippines will not be determined solely by convenience. Building player trust will be the defining factor in whether digital betting platforms can truly dominate the market.

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E-Wallets Are Powering the Future of Gambling in the Philippines

The rise of online gambling in the Philippines is closely tied to the rapid adoption of e-wallets, which have become the dominant payment method for digital betting. With seamless deposits, withdrawals, and integration into popular gaming platforms, e-wallets are not just facilitating transactions—they are reshaping how players engage with gambling.

E-Wallets Dominate Online Gambling Transactions

Our study reveals e-wallets have emerged as the preferred payment method for online bettors in the Philippines. Among the most widely used digital wallets in gambling transactions are:

  • GCash (GLife, GGames)
  • Maya
  • Shopee Pay

These platforms have transformed how players fund their accounts, eliminating the need for physical cash transactions and providing faster, more secure payment options.

How Players Fund Their Gambling Accounts

Despite the shift to digital transactions, cash remains a key entry point into the online gambling ecosystem. Players frequently cash in their e-wallets through physical retail locations, including:

  • Sari-sari stores that act as informal cash-in hubs.
  • Convenience stores where players load funds onto their digital wallets.
  • Cash-in machines that allow seamless top-ups.
  • Bank transfers for those with formal banking access.

This highlights an important industry dynamic – while gambling is moving online, cash remains an essential part of the ecosystem, particularly in rural areas.

The Link Between Financial Inclusion and Gambling Growth

The success of e-wallets in the gambling industry reflects a broader trend: the growing reliance on fintech solutions among Filipinos. As cashless payments gain traction across retail, transport, and remittances, digital betting platforms benefit from increased trust in mobile transactions.

However, financial inclusion gaps remain a challenge. While many players can access e-wallets, not all can link them to traditional banking services. This explains why alternative cash-in methods like sari-sari stores thrive alongside digital payment solutions.

What This Means for the Industry

The widespread adoption of e-wallets in online gambling presents both opportunities and challenges for industry players:

  • For gaming platforms: Streamlining e-wallet integration will be critical in capturing the growing digital-first gambling market.
  • For fintech companies: The demand for secure, seamless gambling transactions presents an opportunity for product expansion.
  • For policymakers: Striking a balance between financial inclusion and responsible gambling will be key in shaping regulatory frameworks.

The Philippine gambling industry is not just moving online- it is going cashless. As e-wallets become the backbone of digital betting, the ability to build trust, ensure security, and provide seamless user experiences will define the next phase of industry growth.

The Future of Gambling in the Philippines Will Be Shaped by Trust and Innovation

The Philippine gambling industry is driven by digital transformation, shifting player behaviors, and the rise of cashless transactions. While online gambling is expanding, traditional formats remain deeply embedded, particularly among players who prioritize trust and regulatory oversight. The industry’s challenge is not just to grow digital adoption but also to address the concerns of players who remain hesitant about fully transitioning to online platforms.

Key Trends That Will Define the Industry’s Next Phase

Several key trends will shape the future of gambling in the Philippines:

  • Hybrid Gambling Models Will Gain Traction
    • While online betting is growing, traditional gambling remains resilient. Future growth will likely blend both formats, offering digital solutions that integrate with physical betting locations.
    • E-wallet cash-ins through sari-sari stores and convenience shops illustrate how offline and online gambling ecosystems are merging.
  • Regulation Will Become a Decisive Factor in Online Gambling’s Growth
    • Trust remains a significant barrier for players hesitant to gamble online. Concerns over fraud, unreliable payouts, and scams continue to slow full digital adoption.
    • Stronger government oversight and regulation will be necessary to ensure a fair, secure, and transparent betting environment.
  • E-Wallets Will Dominate, but Cash Remains Relevant
    • The widespread adoption of GCash, Maya, and Shopee Pay in online gambling suggests that cashless transactions will define the industry’s future.
    • However, for many lower-income and rural players, cash remains a critical entry point, reinforcing the need for financial inclusion in digital gambling.
  • Younger and Urban Gamblers Will Continue to Drive Online Betting
    • Metro Manila and younger players are the primary adopters of online gambling, while rural and older bettors still favor traditional formats.
    • The industry’s ability to bridge this gap will determine the speed at which digital gambling replaces—or coexists with—traditional betting.

Balancing Growth With Consumer Protection

Gambling in the Philippines will not be defined solely by technological advancements but by how well the industry builds player trust. While fintech innovations and mobile accessibility drive adoption, addressing concerns around fair play, fraud prevention, and responsible gambling will be critical to long-term success.

For gaming operators, financial service providers, and regulators, the focus must be on:

  • Ensuring transparency and security in digital betting platforms.
  • Creating a seamless bridge between traditional and online gambling.
  • Developing consumer protection policies that balance growth with responsible gaming.

Today’s decisions will shape whether digital betting truly takes over or remains a complement to legacy formats. The key to success will lie in offering players a seamless, secure, and rewarding experience wherever and however they choose to place their bets.

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Consumer sentiment shifts rapidly, shaped not only by your company’s directives and strategies but also by external forces, such as viral trends, cultural movements, and economic forces. The brands that endure and adapt to these changes in real-time. Brand tracking is more than a periodic check-in – it’s essential for survival. By continuously monitoring brand health, companies can identify strengths, spot weaknesses, understand competitive positioning and adjust strategy accordingly.

But perception isn’t static. A brand with strong awareness today can lose relevance tomorrow if it fails to track how consumers feel, engage, and respond over time. To remain competitive, brands must continuously track their position in the market and be agile enough to adapt.

What is Brand Tracking, and Why Does it Matter?

Brand tracking measures a brand’s performance over time, helping companies identify shifts in the market, consumer trends, competitive trends, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to refine brand strategy.

Brand perception is fluid and influenced by consumer experiences, media narratives, and competitive shifts. Brand tracking helps companies answer critical questions:

  • Is our brand positioning resonating with the right audience?
  • How does our reputation compare to competitors?
  • What messaging, campaigns, or brand attributes build consumer loyalty?
  • Do external factors – economic shifts, social trends, or market disruptions – impact our brand perception?

Key Elements of Brand Tracking

Brand tracking goes beyond surface-level metrics to assess a brand’s health and market position. Key components include:

  • Brand Awareness: Measuring Recognition and Recall
    • Unaided vs. Aided Awareness 
    • Top-of-Mind Awareness: The first brand a consumer thinks of in a category often signals market leadership and competitive strength.
  • Brand Perception & Sentiment Analysis
    • Consumer Attitudes and Associations: Understanding how consumers feel about a brand—and the attributes they link to it—is key to shaping brand identity. These should include both functional benefits and emotional benefits.  As well as brand personality. 
  • Purchase Intent, Satisfaction & Customer Loyalty Metrics
    • Likelihood of Purchase: Gauging how likely consumers are to choose a brand helps predict future sales.
    • Satisfaction: Understanding brand satisfaction versus competitors.
    • Net Promoter Score (NPS): Measuring customers’ willingness to recommend a brand indicates satisfaction and loyalty.
  • Competitive Benchmarking
    • Market Position Analysis: Comparing brand performance against competitors to identify strengths, weaknesses, and market opportunities.
    • Share of Voice: Measuring a brand’s visibility in the market through media coverage and advertising reach.
  • Media & Advertising Effectiveness
    • Campaign Impact Assessment: Assessing how marketing efforts affect awareness, perception, and sales.
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Turning Data into Strategy

Brand tracking only matters if insights lead to action. Using data strategically, companies can refine marketing, reposition products, and strengthen customer loyalty.

Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses Before They Become Market Issues

Tracking brand health helps brands pinpoint areas where they excel and where they are losing ground. Rather than relying on assumptions, brands that act on measurable shifts in consumer sentiment can adjust messaging and engagement tactics before losing relevance.

Optimizing Marketing Campaigns

Effective marketing isn’t just about visibility; it’s about impact. Brand tracking measures how marketing efforts influence perception, loyalty, and purchase intent. If a campaign falls short, data allows brands to tweak real-time messaging rather than wait until the next cycle.

Benchmarking Against Competitors

Brand tracking is most powerful when measured against competitors. Comparing brand health metrics against competitors enables companies to identify gaps in positioning, capitalize on underserved markets, and anticipate industry shifts before rivals do.

Building Customer Loyalty

Brand tracking isn’t just for attracting new customers; it helps brands understand why existing customers stay or leave. Tracking loyalty metrics allows brands to implement better retention strategies, such as loyalty programs, improved customer service, or product innovation.

Brand Tracking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even the best tracking methods fail if poorly executed. Avoid these common mistakes to ensure insights lead to action.

  • Measuring Awareness Without Sentiment
    A high awareness score means little if there are negative perceptions. Brands must pair awareness tracking with perception analysis to get a complete picture of their market position.
  • Tracking Without Business Goals
    Brand tracking is useless if not tied to clear objectives. Tracking must support strategy, whether expanding markets, improving retention, or refining advertising.
  • Ignoring Qualitative Data
    Numbers alone don’t tell the full story. Open-ended customer feedback and sentiment analysis reveal why brand perception shifts.
  • Failing to Act on Insights
    Insights are useless if brands don’t act. Whether trust is eroding or a competitor is gaining ground, companies must adjust accordingly.
  • Overlooking Market Trends
    Brand perception doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Economic shifts, cultural trends, and competitors shape public opinion. Effective tracking accounts for these factors.

Brand Tracking Is Not an Option—It’s Survival

Brand perception is a moving target. What consumers think today may not hold true tomorrow, and brands that fail to monitor these shifts risk becoming irrelevant. The market does not wait for companies to catch up; brands that do not track, analyze, and act on data are at the mercy of competitors who do.

Tracking isn’t just about data—it’s about influence. It reveals when a brand resonates or repels, when trust strengthens or erodes. The best brands spot risks before they escalate and seize opportunities before they go mainstream.

Market leaders don’t wait for a crisis to understand their position. They track, measure, and adapt before perception shifts beyond their control. A brand that isn’t tracking its relevance isn’t just falling behind – it’s already lost control of the narrative.

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Wearables aren’t fringe anymore. Once seen as fitness accessories for gym-goers and early adopters, smartwatches and health trackers are becoming everyday essentials. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, global shipments of wearable devices hit 113 million units – an almost 9% jump compared to the year before. And that’s despite persistent inflation and consumer pullback across key markets.

What’s shifting? People are treating these devices less like gadgets and more like tools for managing stress, sleep, and overall health. Consumers are using them to take control – sometimes even before they know something’s wrong. And tech companies are keeping pace, building in more sophisticated health features, wrapping them in sleek design, and expanding their reach far beyond Silicon Valley.

China, for example, led the world in wrist-worn device shipments through most of 2024, with almost 46 million units sold in just the first three quarters. Japan’s older population is increasingly using wearables to monitor vitals and stay independent longer. In the US and UK, mainstream use is now less about steps and more about holistic wellness. Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia and India, lower-cost models are making wearables accessible to first-time buyers – especially younger users who want health data but don’t need an Apple logo to get it.

This rise isn’t just about health – it’s about habits. The adoption curve shows that consumers are steadily folding digital health tracking into their everyday routines, reshaping not only how we think about wellness but also how we’ll live and age in the years ahead.

From step counters to personal health assistants

The evolution of wearables mirrors a larger shift in how we define health. A decade ago, a fitness tracker was mostly just that – a tool for counting steps or logging runs. Now, it’s a wrist-worn health hub, checking heart rhythms, analyzing sleep, detecting stress, and even alerting users to abnormal vitals before symptoms appear.

This transformation hasn’t just changed the product – it’s reshaped the market. What started with athletes and early tech adopters has now spread across age groups and income levels. Smartwatches are on the wrists of office workers in Singapore, older adults in Tokyo, commuters in London, and Gen Z students in Delhi. And the demand isn’t slowing.

Global sales of wearables reached over $84 billion in 2024, with projections putting the market on track to more than double by 2030. That growth is being powered by consumers in Asia, where China continues to dominate volume thanks to homegrown brands, and where India and Southeast Asia are seeing rising uptake of budget-friendly devices. In Japan, demand is strongest among an aging population who are using wearables for peace of mind – keeping tabs on heart rate, sleep, and medication reminders.

The US and UK still lead when it comes to higher-end models and paid health tracking subscriptions. But what’s consistent across regions is the shift from passive to active wellness. As one analyst at Canalys put it recently, “We’re watching wearables move from fitness to full-spectrum lifestyle tech.”

And while device makers keep layering in new features – temperature sensing, stress tracking, blood oxygen levels – it’s the behavior behind the screen that matters most. Consumers aren’t just buying wearables; they’re changing how they relate to their own health. What’s changing fastest isn’t the tech – it’s how people are folding it into their everyday decisions.

Consumer Adoption Across Generations and Borders

Younger consumers may be driving volume, but wearables are winning over every generation – for very different reasons.

Among Gen Z and millennials, wearables are lifestyle enhancers. Sleep tracking, stress insights, and gamified fitness goals are baked into daily routines, often synced to social media. According to a 2024 YouGov poll in the US and UK, nearly 60% of millennials who own a wearable use it at least five days a week, while Gen Z’s interest is climbing fastest, especially in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines where affordable models are surging.

For younger users, it’s not just fitness. Wearables help manage anxiety, track menstrual cycles, and even gauge productivity. In Southeast Asia, TikTok influencers regularly promote smartwatch brands with built-in wellness challenges, and the appeal is sticking.

By contrast, Gen X and boomers tend to use wearables with a more clinical lens. In Japan, uptake among older adults rose sharply in the past two years, driven by growing interest in managing hypertension, irregular heart rhythms, and fall risk. Apple’s expanded medical alerts and ECG functions are frequently cited by Japanese media as valuable features for aging consumers. In the UK, NHS-backed pilot programs are offering wearables to older patients recovering from surgery or managing long-term conditions.

In the US, over 40% of Gen Xers who own a wearable say they’ve shared data with a healthcare provider, up from just 27% in 2021. But privacy concerns linger, especially among Gen Z. Despite their high usage, only 26% of Gen Z respondents to a 2024 eMarketer study said they would be comfortable sharing health data with doctors or insurers – suggesting a growing tension between usage and trust.

Here’s how adoption looks across some of the key markets:

Country/RegionTop Adopting CohortsPrimary Use CasesNotable Trends
USMillennials, Gen XSleep, stress, fitness, medical alertsHigh usage of subscription models like Fitbit Premium
UKMillennials, BoomersHeart monitoring, post-surgery recoveryNHS pilot programs integrating wearable tech
JapanBoomersHeart rate, fall detection, medicationGrowing adoption in eldercare and wellness insurance schemes
IndiaGen Z, MillennialsStep counting, calorie burn, wellness appsHigh growth in low-cost smartwatch brands
IndonesiaGen ZFitness tracking, daily health challengesInfluencer marketing fueling adoption
ChinaAll age groupsEverything from fitness to medical alertsDomestic brands dominate; strong public sector partnerships
SingaporeMillennials, Gen XHealth monitoring, workplace wellnessWearables integrated into corporate wellness programs
GermanyBoomers, Gen XBlood pressure, diabetes managementInsurance discounts tied to wearable usage

The generations aren’t divided – they’re stacked. What started with Gen Z is now reshaping how everyone manages health. And the industry knows it.

The Technology Arms Race

The more wearables become part of daily life, the harder tech companies are pushing to stay ahead. And they’re not just making devices faster or sleeker – they’re turning them into medical-grade tools, payment platforms, and personal wellbeing dashboards, all in one.

What started as a step-counting competition is now a full-blown innovation sprint. Apple’s latest Watch models detect arrhythmias and track ovulation patterns through temperature fluctuations. Samsung has layered in blood pressure monitoring and sleep scoring tied to cardiovascular insights. Google-backed Fitbit has pivoted from steps to stress, with its newer models using electrodermal activity sensors to gauge emotional strain in real time.

And it’s not just the big brands. In Japan, wearable developers are exploring integration with long-term care plans, while Singapore’s public health teams have trialed government-backed trackers to incentivize exercise and preventive check-ups. In India and Indonesia, homegrown brands like Noise and Realme are keeping up by offering entry-level smartwatches with features that mirror high-end models – heart rate variability, SpO₂ monitoring, and meditation modes – at a fraction of the cost.

The market is clearly rewarding innovation. Smart rings, once a fringe category, are now booming. Oura has become shorthand for wellness among executives and athletes, while Samsung’s anticipated launch of its Galaxy Ring is already stirring up the category. Analysts at Canalys expect the global smart ring segment to triple by 2026, with Asia leading the growth.

Sensors are getting better, but software is where the race is heating up. The shift toward AI-enabled personalization means devices are starting to behave less like monitors and more like coaches – detecting patterns, learning user behavior, and nudging people to take breaks, breathe deeply, or move more. Apple’s upcoming software update includes passive tracking of mental well-being, aiming to surface early indicators of depression and anxiety based on behavioral signals.

This arms race is no longer about having the best display or longest battery. It’s about owning the feedback loop: gathering data, interpreting it meaningfully, and turning that insight into habit-changing nudges. And with more users willing to share health data – whether for clinical support or lifestyle optimization – tech brands are rapidly becoming key players in the future of healthcare.

The Economics of Adoption in a Soft Economy

The flood of innovation might be grabbing headlines, but it’s the economics of wearables that’s driving their expansion into the mainstream – especially as consumers grow more cost-conscious.

Subscription models are a major pivot point. Fitbit Premium, Whoop, and Apple’s Fitness+ aren’t just upsells – they’re positioning wearables as part of a recurring wellness lifestyle. Fitbit Premium alone now has over 10 million paid users globally, according to Alphabet’s 2024 earnings report. Whoop, which has no upfront device cost and instead charges a monthly fee, has doubled its subscriber base since 2022, banking on athletes and executives willing to pay for deeper recovery and strain insights.

Yet in many markets, recurring costs are a harder sell. That’s where public and private incentives are stepping in. Singapore’s government-led LumiHealth program – developed with Apple – offers financial rewards for completing activity challenges and tracking sleep. In Germany, health insurers like TK and Barmer provide partial reimbursements for certified fitness wearables when used as part of preventive care. These programs aren’t about gadgets – they’re about reducing long-term healthcare costs.

Affordability is also being tackled at the hardware level. In India, for example, wearable brands like Noise and boAt have carved out a dominant position by offering smartwatches with fitness and health tracking features for under ₹2,500 ($30). These devices may lack the polish of premium models, but they’ve dramatically widened access, especially among younger consumers in urban areas. The result? India is now one of the fastest-growing wearables markets in the world, with domestic brands accounting for nearly 75% of total shipments in 2024.

In the US and UK, cost still matters. Refurbished models, bundle deals, and corporate wellness perks are helping buyers justify their spending. Entry prices are falling, but expectations are climbing. People want value – not just on the sticker but in the insights, the ecosystem, and the staying power of the device.

Wearables as Part of the Health Ecosystem

As wearable technology becomes more sophisticated, its integration into the broader health ecosystem is deepening, transforming patient care and preventive health strategies. Today’s devices don’t just count steps – they stream health data to doctors, flag risks in real time, and plug directly into telehealth platforms.

Seamless Integration with Healthcare Systems

In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service (NHS) has initiated pilot programs to incorporate wearable devices into patient care. These programs focus on remote monitoring of patients with chronic conditions, allowing healthcare professionals to track vital signs and detect early signs of deterioration without requiring patients to visit healthcare facilities. This approach not only improves patient outcomes but also alleviates the burden on healthcare resources. ​

Similarly, in Japan, addressing the needs of an aging population has led to innovative uses of wearable technology. Companies like Tellus You Care have developed non-contact remote monitoring systems that track the health and safety of elderly individuals. These wearables can detect falls and monitor daily activities, enabling caregivers and medical professionals to respond promptly to emergencies. ​

Enhancing Telehealth Services

In the United States, the synergy between wearable devices and telehealth applications is revolutionizing patient care. Wearables can sync with telehealth platforms, providing clinicians with continuous health data streams. This integration allows for more accurate assessments during virtual consultations and facilitates proactive management of conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. For instance, patients using wearable blood pressure monitors can transmit their readings directly to their electronic health records, enabling healthcare providers to adjust treatments in real-time. ​

Addressing Data Privacy and Reliability Concerns

Still, the deeper wearables penetrate healthcare, the more they raise questions – especially around privacy. These devices collect a steady stream of highly personal health data, and not everyone knows where that information ends up. Breaches are rare, but when they happen, the fallout is big. Surveys show many users remain unclear about how their data is handled, which puts pressure on tech companies and healthcare providers to be far more transparent.

There’s also the question of how reliable the data really is. Wearables offer useful health snapshots, but they’re not always accurate enough to replace clinical tools. If users or doctors lean too heavily on that information, it can lead to wrong calls – or unnecessary stress. That’s why most healthcare providers treat wearable data as one piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture.

How Singapore Turned Wearables into a Public Health Tool

Image credit: LumiHealth

Singapore may be small in size, but it’s been outsized in ambition when it comes to health tech. In 2020, the government launched LumiHealth, a joint initiative with Apple that turns the Apple Watch into a national wellness tool. The idea was simple: incentivize citizens to stay healthy by gamifying fitness and preventive behaviors.

Participants download an app, pair it with an Apple Watch, and earn vouchers by completing health goals like walking, meditating, or getting flu shots. The rewards are modest – up to S$380 over two years – but the behavioral nudge is powerful. More than 200,000 residents signed up in the program’s first year, with high retention and engagement among older adults and those managing chronic conditions.

What makes LumiHealth notable isn’t just its use of wearable tech, but how it reframes wellness as a shared responsibility between citizen, government, and platform. It’s one of the first large-scale examples of a nation leveraging consumer-grade devices for population health – and a blueprint for how data, design, and nudges can shift real-world behavior.

The program has also informed broader policy. Health officials now see wearables as part of Singapore’s preventive care strategy. In 2024, pilot extensions were announced to include nutrition tracking and mental wellbeing prompts – making the Watch not just a step counter, but a guide for daily living.

fitness-medtech-industry-trends-report

From Devices to Digital Selfhood

As wearables sync more deeply with our health, they’re also syncing with something else: identity.

Fitness trackers and smartwatches are no longer just tools – they’ve become quiet status symbols, wellness affirmations, and, in some cases, lifestyle declarations. Wearing a Whoop band or an Oura ring signals a commitment to optimization. A Garmin on the wrist might suggest serious training. Even design choices – stainless steel finishes, leather straps, minimalist rings – convey intention. The wearable, in short, has become part of the personal brand.

This isn’t accidental. Tech companies are leaning into the rise of the quantified self: a movement that treats data as a mirror for self-improvement. Sleep scores are shared in group chats. Heart rate variability is discussed on Reddit threads. There’s even a social layer – Apple’s fitness rings can be closed collaboratively, while Fitbit allows real-time challenges with friends. What began as private tracking is now an interactive, sometimes performative, pursuit.

That said, cultural context shapes how wearables are used – and what they mean.

RegionAttitude Toward WearablesUnderlying Values
US & UKIndividualised health and performance toolsSelf-optimisation, control, productivity
JapanMonitors for long-term care and group wellbeingSafety, longevity, family responsibility
IndiaLifestyle enhancers for youth and urbanitesAspirational health, affordability, digital status
SingaporeIncentivised national wellness participationCommunity health, public-private collaboration
ChinaEveryday convenience tools across all agesFunctional utility, tech-forward lifestyle

In the West, wearable data is often framed in terms of productivity – how to sleep better, train harder, or manage stress. In much of Asia, especially in countries like Japan and Singapore, adoption has leaned more toward collective well-being: tracking to stay safe, support aging populations, or meet national health goals. While the hardware might be the same, the intention behind it can be radically different.

That’s the shift: wearables aren’t just keeping score anymore. They’re helping shape identity – quiet signals of the kind of life we’re trying to live.

The Future Forecast: Smart Living 2030

If the last decade was about wearables gaining acceptance, the next will be about wearables becoming invisible – fully embedded in our surroundings, our health systems, and our daily decision-making. By 2030, the line between body and technology will blur further, not through flashy upgrades, but through quiet, continuous presence.

One of the most anticipated frontiers is continuous, noninvasive blood glucose monitoring, widely viewed as the “holy grail” of wearables. Major tech players, including Apple and Samsung, have been investing heavily in research to bring this functionality to market. Success here wouldn’t just serve diabetics – it would recalibrate how millions think about food, energy, and performance in real time.

Another inflection point will be emotional health. Devices are beginning to detect mood states based on physical cues – micro-fluctuations in skin temperature, heart rate variability, or voice tone. In the next few years, we may see wearables that can flag the early signs of anxiety, burnout, or depressive episodes before the user is even aware. The implications for preventative mental health are enormous – but so are the ethical questions.

Artificial intelligence will be the connective tissue that binds these advances together. Already, AI is being used to turn raw data into feedback loops, coaching users to adjust behaviors. But by 2030, it’s likely that wearables will be part of more coordinated, multi-device ecosystems – syncing not just with phones and watches but also with smart homes, personal health dashboards, and even city infrastructure.

It’s a shift adjacent industries are already watching closely. Insurers are piloting risk models based on real-time biometric data. Pharma firms are testing wearable-driven trial designs and adherence tools. And in some cities, planners are exploring responsive environments – public spaces that adjust to physiological signals, from light and sound to air quality.

What’s next for wearables won’t be defined by tech specs – but by what people do with the data, and who they’re willing to share it with. Smart living by 2030 may not look like sci-fi. It may just look… seamless.

A Tipping Point for Personal Health

We’ve passed the point where wearables are optional tech accessories. They’ve moved into the domain of lifestyle infrastructure – tools people rely on not just for information, but for insight, motivation, and increasingly, autonomy.

When Apple’s COO Jeff Williams stood on stage at CES and said, “We’re not just building a watch – we’re building a guardian for your wellbeing,” it wasn’t marketing hype. It was a quiet signal of where the industry sees its role going: less device, more guide.

And yet, as wearables grow smarter, more embedded, and more predictive, we’re entering a new kind of contract with our devices – one where personal health is constantly measured, interpreted, and nudged. The convenience is undeniable. The value is rising. But so is the question: who controls the loop?

Will the decade ahead empower us to become more informed, more proactive, and more in tune with our health? Or will we find ourselves outsourcing our instincts to a wristband?

It’s a future being shaped now, one wrist at a time.

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If B2B marketing were a person, it would be the studious, rational, and logical one. Meanwhile, B2C would be the creative, chatty one, full of emotions. But what if B2B and B2C become besties and learn from each other?  

The reality is that business buyers are still people. They don’t switch off their emotions when making purchasing decisions for their companies. They crave trust, connection, and a sense of belonging – just like any consumer. The most forward-thinking B2B brands are taking notes from their B2C counterparts, investing in brand-building and storytelling to create deeper engagement.

Enter Payhawk, a B2B fintech company that’s rewriting the rules. Known for its streamlined payment solutions, Payhawk has traditionally relied on performance marketing and LinkedIn-driven lead generation. But now, the brand is shifting gears -borrowing from B2C’s playbook to craft a stronger, more relatable identity.

For B2B brands looking to cut through the noise, Payhawk’s strategy offers a crucial lesson: branding isn’t a luxury; it’s a competitive advantage.

Brand trust in B2B is no longer just about product

B2B brands have long relied on product superiority to drive trust. The logic was simple: offer a feature-packed, efficient solution, and businesses would buy in. But in an era where product differentiation is razor-thin, trust is built on something more human – brand perception, credibility, and emotional connection.

Payhawk understands this shift. As a fintech company competing in a crowded market of expense management platforms, it recognizes that being the best isn’t enough – it has to be the most trusted. Trust isn’t just about what a company sells but also about how it makes customers feel.

This is where B2B is borrowing directly from B2C. In consumer marketing, emotional branding is a dominant force – Nike sells motivation, Apple sells innovation, and Patagonia sells responsibility. Payhawk is applying the same principle, moving beyond transactional messaging to create an identity that resonates deeper.

But trust isn’t built through slogans or polished campaigns – it’s about sustained credibility. Payhawk’s approach includes:

  • Thought leadership that feels personal: Executive voices, not just corporate branding, lead the conversation on LinkedIn.
  • Community-driven engagement: Prioritising customer stories and success narratives over traditional case studies.
  • Transparency as a differentiator: Instead of product-first messaging, the brand openly discusses industry challenges and inefficiencies, making it a trusted advisor rather than just a service provider.

The takeaway is clear: trust is now an emotional currency. Buyers aren’t just looking for vendors; they’re looking for brands they can align with – ones that don’t just sell solutions but embody values that matter.

Branding Vs. Lead Generation

The divide between brand-first B2B companies and lead-gen-focused B2B companies is widening.

Take Payhawk’s approach compared to Ramp – another fintech firm in expense management. While Ramp has built its growth through aggressive performance marketing, SEO dominance, and high-volume cold outreach, Payhawk has prioritized brand storytelling, digital engagement, and interactive campaigns to foster long-term affinity.

The difference?

  • Payhawk is shaping brand preference, while Ramp is optimising for short-term conversion.
  • Payhawk has a higher organic brand recall, while Ramp still depends on direct-response advertising to stay visible.
  • Payhawk is engaging decision-makers emotionally, while Ramp is pushing product-first messaging.

Which strategy wins long-term? According to McKinsey, effective pricing strategies and tactics can deliver a 2% to 7% increase in return on sales. Meanwhile, companies with strong customer loyalty programs can command 5% to 25% higher prices than their competitors.

As markets become more saturated, B2B companies investing in branding will command stronger pricing power and avoid commoditisation.

B2B buyers expect the same engagement as consumers

The traditional B2B sales cycle – awareness, consideration, decision – once followed a structured, predictable path. Buyers would engage with sales teams after extensive research, comparing features and pricing before making a rational choice. But that linear decision-making model is fading. Today’s B2B buyers expect a seamless, interactive, and consumer-like experience.

They are no longer content with cold outreach, gated content, or rigid sales funnels. Instead, they demand engagement, personalisation, and trust-building interactions that feel natural, not forced. Brands that continue to rely solely on performance marketing or lead-gen tactics are missing the bigger picture: B2B buyers now expect the same emotional connection and intuitive experiences that define B2C brands.

So, how is Payhawk making B2B interactive?

One of the most striking examples of this shift toward engagement-driven B2B marketing is Payhawk’s recent Out-of-Home (OOH) campaign in London, which transformed traditional corporate finance messaging into an experiential brand moment.

Image Credit: Payhawk

At the heart of the campaign was the “Time Machine” – a giant interactive credit card installation designed to visualize just how much time businesses waste on manual expense management.

The concept: The installation highlighted finance teams lose up to 55,000 hours annually on manual processes, turning an abstract pain point into a tangible, relatable message.
The execution: Commuters at major London railway stations could press an oversized button on the installation, triggering a randomized generator of common finance team struggles – chasing receipts, reconciling expenses, or tracking missing invoices.
The impact: The campaign stopped busy professionals in their tracks, sparking real-world engagement and social media shares. By turning a mundane financial challenge into an interactive, humorous, and shareable moment, Payhawk redefined what B2B marketing can look like.

The campaign was designed to break the traditional mould of B2B financial advertising. The goal was not just to promote Payhawk’s solution but to create an immersive experience that resonated with finance and marketing professionals alike.

According to Payhawk’s CMO, Jack Cummings, the campaign speaks directly to professionals who manage international budgets, track team expenses, and juggle multiple financial responsibilities. By demonstrating the pain points visually and interactively, rather than through traditional messaging, the campaign created an emotional connection with the audience.

The Results

  • 4 million impressions across London’s busiest commuter stations, reaching professionals in finance and marketing.
  • Direct engagement with thousands of business professionals who interacted with the installation and shared their experiences.
  • A shift in financial services advertising proving that even technical B2B offerings can be made engaging, relatable, and human.
genz-consumer-behavior-report

Beyond OOH – A multi-touch approach to engagement

The “Time Machine” campaign was just one piece of a broader brand engagement strategy. Payhawk understands that building trust and loyalty in B2B requires multiple touchpoints beyond just one-off activations or static ad placements.

✔ Social engagement that feels authentic: While many B2B brands still treat LinkedIn as a corporate bulletin board, Payhawk engages in real-time conversations, shares user-generated content, and amplifies customer success stories, mirroring how consumer brands use social media to build trust.

✔ Customer journeys that don’t feel like sales funnels: Instead of aggressive retargeting or overreliance on gated content, Payhawk prioritizes delivering upfront value through educational content, transparent discussions on industry challenges, and interactive digital experiences that help potential buyers form a connection before they enter the sales funnel.

✔ Experiential marketing that captures attention: Payhawk’s OOH activation is part of a larger strategy to make B2B interactive, memorable, and emotionally resonant. By using humor, human pain points, and interactivity, it avoids the stale, jargon-heavy approach still used by many in corporate finance marketing.

This shift is about rethinking how B2B brands connect with their audience. Decision-makers don’t want to be pushed through a funnel; they want to engage, interact, and trust a brand before they even consider a purchase.

The brands that understand and embrace this new reality will lead the future of B2B marketing. Those that don’t? They risk becoming just another forgettable vendor in an overcrowded market.

The Next B2B Battleground

B2B brands have spent years optimising for clicks, conversions, and cost-per-lead. But the companies winning today, and the ones that will dominate tomorrow, are optimising for something far more powerful: brand preference.

Payhawk’s shift isn’t just a marketing evolution; it’s a competitive strategy. Having good features isn’t enough to build trust. Digital ads no longer grab attention like they used to. Buyers want more than just a product; they want a brand they can trust.

The takeaway for B2B companies is clear:

  • Lead generation without brand equity is a race to the bottom. Companies that compete only on performance marketing will struggle to build lasting differentiation.
  • Emotional connection is a business strategy, not a marketing gimmick. Buyers don’t just evaluate solutions  – they align with brands that reflect their needs, values, and identity.
  • The most resilient brands aren’t the loudest or the fastest-growing. They’re the ones buyers remember, trust, and return to long after the marketing campaign ends.

B2B isn’t becoming B2C, but the lines are blurring. The brands that recognize this shift first will not only set the standard but also own the future of business-to-business marketing.

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Digital advertising is struggling to maintain consumer engagement. The average person encounters thousands of ads daily, yet engagement rates continue to decline. Studies show that global click-through rates on digital ads have dropped, with banner blindness reaching record levels. At the same time, skepticism toward influencer marketing is growing, particularly as AI-generated endorsements become more common.

Younger consumers, especially Gen Z, seek more authentic, real-world brand interactions. The novelty of digital experiences is fading, making them easier to ignore. In contrast, live events and interactive experiences engage multiple senses, fostering emotional connections that screens often fail to replicate.

As a result, brands are rethinking their approach. Pop-ups, immersive installations, and brand activations are not just promotional tactics – they are strategic tools for building consumer loyalty. These in-person experiences not only create exclusivity but also encourage organic social sharing and generate earned media that digital ads often struggle to achieve. This shift marks the resurgence of experiential marketing in an era of digital fatigue.

Why Brands Are Shifting to Real-World Experiences

Brands looking to stand out are increasingly turning to real-world interactions. Once considered optional brand-building exercises, immersive activations are becoming a key strategy for engaging consumers beyond the digital space.

Luxury fashion house Jacquemus transformed a Paris metro station into a branded experience, featuring vending machines stocked with its signature handbags. The installation provided an exclusive, tactile interaction that drove viral engagement and led to inventory selling out within hours.

Jacquemus-experiential-marketing-campaign

Image Credit: Paper Mag

In Tokyo, Muji has taken its minimalist philosophy beyond retail, turning brand engagement into a fully immersive experience. The Japanese retailer’s largest standalone store, located in Ginza, spans multiple floors and features an in-house bakery, Muji Diner, and more than 7,000 of its signature no-frills products. But beyond shopping, visitors can check into the Muji Hotel Ginza, which occupies the upper five floors of the building, extending the brand’s ethos into hospitality.

muji-hotel-experiential-marketing

Image Credit: The Wallpaper

The Ginza hotel follows earlier openings in Beijing and Shenzhen, reinforcing Muji’s presence in experiential branding. Each of its 79 rooms showcases the brand’s design ethos, furnished exclusively with Muji products – from mattresses and towels to LED desk lights and lightweight travel pyjamas. Even small details, such as complimentary skincare products and toiletries, reflect Muji’s commitment to simplicity and functionality.

By blurring the lines between retail and hospitality, Muji offers more than a place to stay. Guests are not just consumers but participants in a curated environment shaped entirely around Muji’s aesthetic and values, turning an overnight stay into an extension of the brand experience.

Banco Itaú took a different approach in Brazil by building an interactive financial literacy park in São Paulo. Rather than relying solely on digital campaigns, the bank created a space where families could engage with money management concepts through gamified activities. Reports indicate the initiative increased trust, brand affinity, and a measurable rise in new account sign-ups.

These campaigns illustrate how physical presence can enhance brand engagement in ways digital marketing alone may struggle to achieve. Stepping into a branded environment, interacting with products, or participating in a curated experience can create a deeper, more lasting connection between consumers and brands.

Experiential Marketing Builds Influence, Not Just Awareness

Beyond generating buzz, experiential marketing can shape consumer perception and drive brand loyalty. Some of the most effective campaigns go beyond traditional advertising to create interactive experiences that turn passive consumers into active participants.

Research suggests that consumers are more likely to recall brands they have engaged with physically rather than solely online. Luxury automaker Porsche capitalized on this insight with its Porsche Unseen exhibition in Shanghai. Instead of traditional advertising, the brand curated an exclusive, invite-only experience where attendees viewed never-before-seen concept cars, interacted with designers, and test-drove select models. The event was designed not just to showcase Porsche’s innovation but to deepen brand affinity among high-value consumers.

Physical experiences also have a multiplier effect through social sharing, amplifying brand reach in ways that digital ads alone may struggle to achieve. Evian’s Mountain of Youth activation in Shanghai is one example. The immersive alpine-themed experience featured real snow, ice tunnels, and interactive projections, reinforcing the brand’s identity as pure and rejuvenating. Attendees shared their experiences on social media, extending Evian’s brand messaging beyond the physical installation.

Evian’s-brand-experiential-messaging

Image Credit: Maake

Industry experts argue that while digital marketing remains essential, immersive brand experiences create lasting consumer connections. A digital ad can be skipped, and an email can go unread, but a well-executed, tactile brand interaction has the potential to leave a lasting impression.

Proving the ROI of Experiential Marketing

Measuring the effectiveness of experiential marketing has long been a challenge. Unlike digital advertising, where brands can track impressions, clicks, and conversions in real time, physical activations have traditionally been harder to quantify. However, advances in data tracking, geolocation technology, and integrated digital touchpoints are helping brands analyze their experiential campaigns more precisely.

Coca-Cola has experimented with RFID-powered brand activations to bridge this measurement gap. During its Coca-Cola Village event in Israel, attendees received RFID wristbands linked to their Facebook accounts. By scanning their wristbands at various activation stations, they could instantly “Like” different attractions and share their experiences online. According to company reports, this resulted in a 35% increase in brand engagement on Facebook, with campaign reach extending well beyond the event.

In Romania, Coca-Cola launched its Festival Bottle campaign, transforming bottle labels into wristbands for exclusive music festival access. Consumers scanned barcodes on their bottles using a smartphone app to determine if they had won festival passes. The campaign reportedly drove an 11% increase in sales, positioning Coca-Cola’s packaging as a functional tool and a cultural symbol among Romanian teens.

Volkswagen adopted a similar data-driven approach in Germany with its Power of Two test-drive experience. The initiative encouraged consumers to test-drive Volkswagen’s electric vehicles with a friend, gamifying the experience by tracking distance and energy efficiency. The campaign incorporated digital leaderboards and interactive data-sharing, and company figures indicate a 12% increase in post-test-drive conversions.

Beyond proving return on investment, measurement tools are also helping brands refine their strategies. By integrating digital extensions that capture real-time consumer insights, companies can optimize experiential campaigns to enhance engagement and long-term business impact.

Research-brief

The Future of Experiential Marketing

Experiential marketing continues to evolve, with brands exploring new ways to integrate technology, scale activations, and measure their impact. As digital fatigue rises, companies are experimenting with immersive experiences that blend the physical and digital worlds.

Technology Is Elevating Physical Experiences

Experiential marketing is no longer limited to in-person activations. The rise of AR, VR, and AI-driven personalization is enabling brands to extend real-world interactions into digital spaces, creating multi-sensory experiences that go beyond traditional advertising.

Dior Beauty’s AI-powered fragrance pop-up in Seoul illustrates how technology reshapes brand engagement. The activation used biometric sensors to analyze consumer emotions, tracking facial expressions and micro-reactions to recommend personalized scents. Instead of a static display, visitors engaged in an interactive experience that adjusted in real time based on their preferences.

Heineken took a different approach, blending product innovation, humor, and workplace commentary into a digitally integrated activation. The brand introduced The Closer, a high-tech bottle opener that leveraged Bluetooth technology to close work apps when you pop the lid off a Heineken. The device, created in response to growing concerns over work-life balance during the pandemic, was promoted through a satirical product launch event inspired by tech industry keynotes, with actor Billy Eichner as the host.

Image Credit: Heineken

The campaign film showcased overwhelmed employees who, upon opening a Heineken, instantly saw their laptops and work notifications power down. By turning a simple action into a symbolic (and functional) break from work, Heineken positioned itself as a brand advocating for a better work-life balance. The campaign gained traction on social media as attendees and consumers shared their experiences using the device, amplifying Heineken’s message beyond the event itself.

Scalability Without Losing Exclusivity

One of the biggest challenges in experiential marketing is scale. While immersive activations can generate buzz, maintaining exclusivity while expanding reach remains a complex task. The key lies in creating personal and localized experiences, even when executed globally.

Nike’s House of Innovation stores in New York, Shanghai, and Paris illustrate this approach. Each store follows a core concept – an interactive retail space blending digital customization and product storytelling – yet incorporates elements unique to its location. Shanghai’s store reflects Chinese streetwear culture, while New York’s version offers sneaker customization based on real-time sports data. This flexible framework allows Nike to create tailored experiences while maintaining a cohesive global identity.

Exclusivity also plays a role in consumer engagement. Adidas’ Confirmed app, which provides access to limited-edition sneaker drops, extends experiential marketing beyond physical locations. The app requires users to visit geo-tagged locations to unlock early access, merging digital and real-world interactions. This approach not only increases foot traffic but also fosters a sense of exclusivity among dedicated customers.

Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton’s 200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries exhibition, a traveling showcase celebrating the brand’s 200th anniversary, demonstrates how luxury brands balance exclusivity with large-scale reach. The exhibition toured cities such as Paris, New York, Singapore, and Los Angeles, immersing attendees in Louis Vuitton’s heritage while generating localized content for each market. Invitation-only previews and VIP experiences ensured the activations remained exclusive while reaching a global audience.

As experiential marketing evolves, brands continue to explore ways to balance personalization with scale. By designing adaptable, localized, and digitally integrated activations, companies aim to expand their reach without compromising authenticity.

Final Thoughts

Experiential marketing is regaining momentum as brands seek new ways to engage consumers beyond digital channels. A study by Gradient shows that 82% of retail companies have increased their experiential marketing budgets over the last three years. 

Consumer response is driving this investment. Research indicates that 85% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase after attending a live marketing event, while 91% report a more positive perception of brands following such experiences. Additionally, 64% of consumers maintain a favorable impression of a brand for at least a month after attending an activation, underscoring the long-term impact of immersive interactions.

However, scaling experiential marketing comes with challenges. High production costs, logistical complexity, and the need for skilled talent make execution a significant undertaking. Brands must navigate venue sourcing, real-time audience engagement, and seamless digital integrations – all while ensuring a consistent and impactful brand experience. Measuring ROI remains a hurdle, requiring brands to invest in data tracking and technology to justify the spending.

Despite these challenges, experiential marketing offers brands a tangible way to combat digital fatigue and foster engagement beyond a single interaction. With continued advancements in measurement and technology, brands that invest in scalable, strategic, and immersive experiences are positioning themselves for long-term consumer loyalty and business growth.

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The fastest-growing consumer in the toy industry is not a kid. A new generation of adults is rewriting the rules of play, driving billions in annual sales and reshaping how toy brands approach product development and marketing. These buyers, known as kidults, are fueling growth as they seek nostalgia, collectibles, and high-end toys once marketed exclusively to children. Their spending habits have become a defining force in the industry, outpacing traditional toy buyers and reshaping market strategies.

According to NPD Group data, these consumers now account for one-fourth of all toy sales annually, generating around $9 billion in revenue. Their presence in the market is not new, but spending has accelerated since the pandemic, leading to year-over-year gains despite challenging economic conditions. At a time when overall toy sales volume has dipped, higher prices and strong demand from kidults have offset losses and kept the industry growing.

Brands that once targeted parents shopping for kids are now catering directly to an audience willing to spend more for limited-edition action figures, premium Lego sets, and collectibles tied to their beloved franchises. The shift is not a passing trend; it is a transformation in consumer behavior that companies can no longer ignore.

Who are Kidults and Why are they Buying Toys and Games?

Play is no longer just for children. Adulthood has been redefined by a generation that sees nostalgia as a lifestyle rather than a fleeting indulgence. Millennials and Gen Z, raised in an era of immersive entertainment and franchise-driven storytelling, embrace toys as symbols of identity and self-expression.

Kidults are particularly drawn to cartoons, superheroes, and collectibles that remind them of their childhood. They buy merchandise such as action figures, Lego sets, and dolls that might typically be meant for kids. In response, toy makers have created entire product lines tailored for these buyers, recognizing that demand for nostalgic and high-quality collectibles continues to surge.

Social media has amplified this shift, turning fandoms into global communities where collectibles are status symbols. Limited-edition releases, high-end figures, and retro-inspired toys are not just purchases – they are cultural markers. What was once considered a niche hobby has become mainstream, with brands tapping into a lucrative market that values authenticity, nostalgia, and exclusivity.

Beyond nostalgia, psychological factors like stress relief, escapism, and personal identity also drive this trend. Many adult toy buyers see these purchases as a way to disconnect from daily pressures, embrace childhood joy, and express individuality. 

For many kidults, these purchases provide a sense of relaxation and familiarity, helping them cope with daily stress and responsibilities. The ritual of collecting, displaying, and engaging with nostalgic brands creates a sense of stability in an unpredictable world.

Case Study: Funko’s Collector Market Success

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Image Credit: The Gamer

Funko, best known for its Pop! Vinyl figures, has built an empire catering to adult toy collectors. The brand strategically partnered with major franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Harry Potter, offering limited-edition releases and convention-exclusive drops that create demand through scarcity.

Focusing on pop culture nostalgia and tapping into fan-driven communities, Funko has positioned itself as a powerhouse in the collector market. The brand’s direct-to-consumer strategy and exclusive collaborations with major retailers have made it a staple for kidults looking to expand their curated collections.

Toy Companies Are Rewriting Their Playbook for Kidults

The world’s biggest brands are no longer designed solely for children. Lego, Mattel, and Hasbro have pivoted to meet the demands of adults in the toy market, launching premium product lines tied to pop culture, gaming, and blockbuster franchises. High-end collectibles, intricate building sets, and nostalgia-driven reboots now dominate shelves, targeting consumers willing to pay a premium for quality and exclusivity.

Lego’s detailed Star Wars and architecture sets, Mattel’s collector-edition Barbie dolls, and Hasbro’s Black Series action figures are just a few examples of how the industry has evolved. Limited-edition drops and direct-to-consumer sales have become critical strategies, leveraging scarcity and brand loyalty to drive demand.

At a time when traditional toy sales have slowed, kidults have emerged as the industry’s biggest growth driver. While board games, puzzles, and playsets saw a pandemic-fueled boom, the first nine months of 2022 recorded a 3% drop in sales volume. Higher prices helped offset this decline, boosting overall sales revenue by 3%. Kidults, who tend to spend more per purchase, have maintained industry momentum.

For toy companies, catering to adults is no longer an experiment; it is a core business strategy.

Kidults Around the World

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Case Study: Lego’s Strategic Pivot to Capturing the Kidult Market

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Image Credit: Lego

Lego, known for its interlocking brick sets, has skillfully targeted the growing kidult demographic. Recognizing the growing demand among adults for complex and nostalgic play experiences, Lego expanded its product line to include intricate sets that appeal to mature consumers.

In 2024, Lego reported a 6% increase in sales, largely attributed to the popularity of its Botanics flower sets, specifically designed for older consumers. These sets offer a blend of creativity and relaxation, resonating with adults seeking mindful activities. Lego’s collaborations with popular franchises have bolstered its appeal to the kidult market. Lego taps into the nostalgia and fandoms that drive adult toy purchasing decisions by producing detailed models tied to beloved series.

Lego’s success with the kidult segment shows the value of catering to adult consumers’ desires for nostalgic and hands-on experiences.

What Toys are Kidults Buying?

Kidults are not just a niche segment – they are the backbone of the toy industry’s growth. While they make up only a quarter of total toy buyers, they account for 60% of dollar growth, according to NPD’s Checkout data. Their willingness to pay for premium products has created a revenue stream that far outpaces spending by parents buying for children.

Unlike cost-conscious parents who seek budget-friendly options, kidults gravitate toward collectibles, high-quality models, and limited-edition releases with higher price points. Their spending is not dictated by seasonality in the same way as traditional toy buyers. While holiday shopping remains a peak sales period, this audience purchases year-round, making them a more predictable and stable consumer base.

This shift has allowed toy companies to move beyond the cyclical boom-and-bust nature of holiday-driven sales. Even as inventory challenges and inflation pressure retailers, demand from kidults has remained strong. As a result, brands are increasingly designing marketing campaigns and product launches with this audience in mind, ensuring their place as a long-term driver of industry revenue.

Marketing Strategies For Toy Brands Targeting Kidults

Toy brands no longer rely on traditional retail displays or children’s TV ads to drive sales. Instead, they target kids where they are most engaged – on social media, in collector communities, and through direct-to-consumer platforms. Digital-first campaigns, influencer collaborations, and nostalgia-driven storytelling have become essential tools for capturing this audience.

Limited-edition drops and exclusive collaborations create a sense of urgency and exclusivity that resonates with collectors. Brands like Lego and Mattel have successfully leveraged pre-orders and premium-tier product launches to tap into this demand. Hasbro’s Black Series and Mattel’s Hot Wheels Red Line Club offer high-end collectibles directly to fans, bypassing mass-market retail channels and reinforcing brand loyalty.

Community engagement is also key. Toy companies invest in fan-driven events, interactive content, and product tie-ins with entertainment franchises to keep their audiences invested. This approach has expanded beyond the toy aisle – adult-focused toy marketing now includes lifestyle branding, apparel collaborations, and interactive experiences designed to deepen brand attachment.

The brands that understand how to market to kidults are not just selling toys – they are selling identity, nostalgia, and belonging.

Case Study: Pop Mart’s Success with Labubu Collectibles

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Image Credit: Los Angeles Times

Pop Mart, a Chinese toy company, has achieved remarkable success by targeting the adult market with its Labubu collectible figures. Created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, Labubu features distinctive rabbit-like ears and spiky teeth, appealing primarily to adults seeking nostalgic and comforting collectibles. Priced between $15 and $85, these figurines often sell out within minutes of restocking, leading fans to rely on group chats for updates and endure long lines. Celebrity endorsements, particularly from Lisa of Blackpink, have further boosted Labubu’s popularity. Collectors view these toys not just as playthings but as art pieces that add personality to their homes. Despite the prevalence of knockoffs, demand for Labubu continues to grow, with Pop Mart expanding its presence in the U.S. and reporting strong sales figures. This trend reflects a broader rise in kidult-targeted emotional comfort toys. 

The Future of the Toy Industry Belongs to Adults

Kidults are not just spending – they are shaping the industry’s future. The brands that continue to evolve embracing technology, sustainability, and personalization, will lead the next evolution of the toy market. Augmented reality experiences, app-connected toys, and AI-powered collectibles are emerging as the next “it” toys, blending nostalgia with modern tech. Eco-conscious buyers also influence brands to redesign packaging, adopt sustainable materials, and explore digital collectibles.

The next step for brands is clear: those who embrace innovation while preserving nostalgia will remain at the forefront of this booming market.

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