Consumers are evolving. Will brands evolve with them?

Technology and sustained cost pressures are reshaping how consumers define value and, in turn, how companies compete. How will brands keep pace? McKinsey’s Anna Pione, Clarisse Magnin, Danielle Bozarth, Jessica Moulton, and Kari Alldredge examine how AI, wellness, the growing demand for experiences, and more discerning spending are changing the way consumers discover, decide, and spend.

The beauty industry is already navigating this new landscape. McKinsey’s Alexis Wolfer, Gemma D’Auria, Kristi Weaver, Sara Hudson, and coauthors explore how AI, social commerce, and shifting consumer behaviors are reshaping beauty. “Consumers are moving more fluidly across categories, channels, and price tiers, while discovery, content, and commerce increasingly converge into a single experience,” they write.

The next era of growth will belong to companies that evolve as quickly as their consumers do. Read on to explore what’s changing—and how brands can stay ahead.

State of the Consumer 2026: When tech acceleration and cost pressures collide

From aisle to algorithm: The beauty categories, channels, and concepts shaping 2030 growth

State of Food and Beverage: The choices CPG leaders can make to renew growth

How Danone is reinventing FMCG operations

Brilliant Moves: Coffee with FairPrice Group’s Vipul Chawla

An update on Asia–Pacific consumer sentiment: Outlooks diverge and spending is more selective