3RD ANNUAL EDITION

2026 USA Consumer Trends Report

Eight trends. 1053 Americans. The clearest picture yet of how your customers are thinking, spending, and deciding – and what it means for your business.

BY THE NUMBERS

1053

Americans surveyed nationally

8

Trends shaping consumer behaviour

51%

Still cite cost of living as their #1 concern

3rd

Year tracking America’s consumer pulse

What's Inside

01

The cost-of-living marathon

Cautious endurance, not crisis. 51% of Americans name cost of living and inflation a top concern.

02

A Nation Divided And On Edge

Split by politics, united by unease. 64% of Republicans are optimistic about America’s future, against just 36%
of Democrats.

03

The Wellbeing Divide

Financial pressure sets the mood. 13% of the most financially pressured Americans are satisfied with life, against 80% of the most comfortable.

04

The Loneliness Epidemic

A disconnected nation skewing young. 40% of 18 to 29-year-olds feel lonely regularly, roughly four times the rate of 65 to 74-year-olds.

05

Mainstream but mistrusted

AI everywhere, trust still lagging. 76% of Americans now use AI, yet only 23% trust what it tells them.

06

Life on Screens

Mostly a comfort with a strained minority. Most Americans (56%) see their screen time as reasonable, not excessive – only 32% call their use excessive, with 12% saying it’s limited.

07

The Care Squeeze

Supporting older and younger relatives.

08

Money Over Flexibility

Pay wins, and side income beckons.

why it matters for your business

Understand the day-to-day reality your customers are navigating, and what still drives spending despite the pressure

Identify the demographic fault lines (gender, age, income) that determine who’s engaging and who’s pulling back

Respond to shifting attitudes toward AI (Artificial Intelligence), technology, and digital life before your competitors do

Understand the daily pressures faced by your workforce, and what this means for hiring and retention

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