Retail

The Value-Seeking Consumer Trend | Retail and Consumer Products Outlooks 2026 | Deloitte Insights

Deloitte Insights
Deloitte Insights•Mar 12, 2026

Why It Matters

The shift forces businesses to rethink value propositions and partnership models, directly impacting growth and profitability in a price‑sensitive market.

Key Takeaways

  • •Half of global shoppers prioritize price and deals.
  • •35% of affluent consumers also value‑seeking.
  • •Firms pursue data sharing and joint product development.
  • •Portfolio trims focus on high‑demand, profitable categories.
  • •Cross‑industry collaborations reshape value propositions.

Pulse Analysis

The rise of value‑seeking consumers reflects broader economic pressures, from inflation to tighter household budgets. While traditionally associated with price‑sensitive segments, Deloitte’s research shows that even affluent shoppers are scrutinizing cost, creating a universal demand for transparent pricing and tangible benefits. This trend reshapes market dynamics, compelling brands to balance quality with affordability and to communicate value more effectively across digital and physical channels.

Retail and consumer‑products companies are turning collaboration into a competitive advantage. By sharing data across the supply chain, firms can anticipate demand spikes, reduce inventory waste, and co‑create product bundles that resonate with cost‑aware buyers. Joint planning initiatives and shared analytics platforms enable faster response times, while co‑development projects allow brands to leverage each other’s strengths, delivering innovative, lower‑priced solutions without sacrificing margin.

Strategically, the value‑seeking wave is prompting portfolio rationalization. Companies are shedding low‑performing SKUs, reallocating resources toward high‑margin, high‑demand categories, and investing in private‑label or exclusive lines that promise better price points. This disciplined focus not only improves profitability but also aligns product assortments with the evolving expectations of a price‑sensitive yet quality‑aware consumer base, positioning firms for sustainable growth in the 2026 outlook and beyond.

Original Description

The value-seeking consumer trend is influencing how retailers and consumer products companies rethink value propositions, partnerships, and portfolio strategy.
👉 And the 2026 Consumer Products Industry Global Outlook:
🎥 In this video, Evan Sheehan, Global retail and consumer products leader, Deloitte Global, and Justin Cook, US consumer products research leader, Deloitte Consumer Industry Center, discuss how executives across retail and consumer products are responding to the growing demand for value.
🔎 Executive takeaways:
• Value-seeking consumer behavior: About half of global consumers are considered value seekers, making deal-driven and cost-conscious purchasing decisions.
• Value seeking across income levels: Deloitte research shows 35% of high-income consumers globally also fall into the value-seeker category.
• Retail and consumer products collaboration: Companies are exploring new ways to collaborate across the value chain through data sharing, joint planning, and joint product development.
• Focus across product portfolios: Consumer products companies are evaluating their portfolios, shedding underperforming assets, and doubling down in areas where consumers want greater focus.
For leaders in retail and consumer products, these insights highlight how evolving consumer behavior and collaboration across the value chain may influence business decisions.
🔔Subscribe for more trends shaping the retail and consumer products industries.
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