September 25, 2025- Innova Market Insights provides a forward–looking analysis of the lifestyles and behaviors impacting global food and beverage choices. By leveraging megatrends analysis, insights from consumer research, observations from global trendspotters, and monitoring category trends and innovations, Innova implements a top-down bottom-up strategy to identify consumer trends and their drivers. For both food and beverage brands and ingredient and flavor companies, this consumer trends 2026 analysis offers opportunities to adjust marketing strategies, propel innovation, and obtain a competitive advantage.
Understanding the Macro Context
In 2026, consumers are faced with numerous external pressures and a volatile world. They are navigating financial pressures, growing geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and mounting climate concerns. For example, anxiety is widespread, with half of global consumers saying they feel very or a little anxious about the world around them. Consumer trends reveal that Boomers and Gen Z are the most anxious, while millennials are more positive. In the past 12 months, 85% of consumers globally also report feeling stress. The issues closest to home dominate, as personal finances are the number one cause of stress, followed by health, work, and school.
How are Consumer Lifestyles Shifting?
Innova’s consumer trends 2026 research highlights the enduring lifestyle shifts that are influencing the global food and beverage market. Consumers are increasingly taking a proactive approach to well-being, with 1 in 3 consumers exercising to help manage stress. Additionally, conscious consumption is top of mind, as consumers are making choices that benefit both their wallets and the planet. Flexibility and digital living are also essential to consumer trends, and evolving work patterns and online platforms are enabling more fluid lifestyles. Therefore, the boundaries between work, home, and leisure are becoming blurred. Consumers, as a result, are looking for opportunities to exert greater control over their lives and find methods for escape and release.
Trend #1- Relaxed Sociability
The desire for healthier and more flexible lifestyles is fueling the shift to more relaxed social occasions and spaces. Consumer trends show that 59% of consumers are choosing more casual ways to socialize, rather than formal, nighttime gatherings. Thus, the home, restaurants, nature, and the countryside are growing in popularity. Food remains a key factor in social bonding, and casual artisanal foods mirror the preference for more informal social occasions.
The role of coffee shops in socializing consumers is also growing. According to consumer trends research, their importance has grown by 22%, largely driven by millennials, Gen Z, and consumers with higher incomes. This highlights the increasing popularity of “third spaces,” which are places outside of work and the home where people can build connections, foster a sense of community, and even promote wellness. In addition, the demand for alcohol-free alternatives is growing as consumers are looking to balance well-being with social enjoyment.
Trend #2- Time for Me
Consumers are actively choosing to spend more time alone, prioritizing moments of self-care and opportunities for physical and mental restoration. Globally, 1 in 3 consumers say that spending time alone helps when they are stressed, and 29% report that indulging in a food and beverage experience fits “me time.”
For example, one of Innova’s trend-spotters indicates that “Rather than going out for drinks or karaoke with friends, [consumers] now prefer to spend quality time at home,” making the intentional choice to treat themselves by cooking a nice meal or watching a movie. To relax and unwind, 47% of consumers say they like to listen to music, and many also consider watching relaxing content or engaging with relaxing food and beverage as elements of “me time.” Therefore, for brands, there are numerous opportunities to create products or experiences that support consumers’ routines and preferences for carving out intentional time alone.
Trend #3- Vitality & Longevity
Aging populations and widespread access to health information are two key elements that are propelling the demand for long-term health and longevity solutions. For consumers, sleep, weight, and energy are the top physical health concerns. In fact, consumer trends research reports that 57% are taking action to address concerns about their energy levels. Nevertheless, younger and older consumers have differing priorities when it comes to healthy aging, with Gen Z and millennials valuing disease prevention, looking fit, and staying energized. In contrast, Gen X and Boomers prioritize maintaining mobility, physical fitness, and keeping an active mind, as well as preventing disease.
Additionally, the market for longevity and vitality products is divided between more scientific, “lab-based” approaches and slower, more traditional forms of wellness. For instance, traditional approaches often include ancient remedies like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Brands interested in targeting vitality and energy can also turn to holistic solutions for opportunities to address both mental and physical energy needs that emphasize enduring vitality versus quick fixes.
Trend #4- My Tech Mate
Digital tools and generative AI are quickly being adopted by consumers to enrich and simplify many elements of their lives. 36% of global consumers say they have a positive perception of AI, with younger generations demonstrating the most enthusiasm. In addition, 57% of global consumers agree or strongly agree that they are interested in learning more ways to utilize AI. A large percentage even go as far to say that it even helps stimulate their creativity.
In the food and beverage market, AI is especially useful to streamline the meal preparation process for consumers. For instance, apps can help users track and meals, provide a nutritional analysis, and give expert advice to consumers. Recipe finders can also generate meal ideas based on ingredients a consumer has at home, and smart kitchen appliances can automate elements of the meal preparation and cooking process. As a result, there is an opportunity for brands to leverage technology as a tool to enable simplicity and serve as a source of inspiration for consumers.
Trend #5- Simplified Life
Globally, consumers are seeking ways to simplify their routines and achieve a balanced lifestyle. 29% of consumers say that mental well-being has motivated them to simplify their lives, and 31% point to spending time outdoors or in nature to help reduce stress. Limiting screen time to mitigate digital overload, connecting with nature, and choosing simple and comforting food and drink options are also key elements of this consumer trend.
When it comes to food and beverage, 1 in 4 consumers share that making healthy decisions is a cause of stress. Therefore, brands can gain a competitive edge by offering consumers products that promote ease, clarity, and reassurance. For example, fresh meal delivery kit services highlight a food experience that offers both convenience and simplicity for consumers looking to avoid complexity at mealtimes.
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This article is based on Innova’s Global Consumer Trends for Food and Beverage 2026 presentation. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more.