PARIS –
Capgemini’s research arm published a global consumer trends report on January 6, 2026, finding that consumers are increasingly allocating discretionary spending to “small indulgences” while trimming essentials and demanding explicit fairness from brands. The study, titled “What matters to today’s consumer 2026: How AI is transforming value perception,” highlights fairness, price transparency and control over AI-driven personalization as primary determinants of perceived value for shoppers.
The report, based on a survey of 12,000 adults across 12 countries conducted in October and November 2025, quantifies several behavior changes that carry commercial implications: a large share of consumers say they would switch brands over regular price differences or undisclosed pack-size reductions; roughly seven in ten report deliberately buying small treats to relieve financial stress; and adoption of generative-AI shopping tools is rising, with one-quarter having used such tools in 2025 and another 31% planning future use. The research also finds persistent consumer demand for human assistance on complex purchases.
Why this matters to business
Retailers, consumer-packaged-goods (CPG) manufacturers and digital platforms face a simultaneous set of operational and strategic pressures: maintain competitive price and product transparency, integrate AI features that consumers trust, and preserve in-person service for high-complexity purchases. Those pressures affect assortment, pricing algorithms, loyalty programs, and the balance of investment between automation and human-staffed touchpoints. The research identifies specific consumer thresholds – for pricing communication, shrinkflation disclosure and AI explanation – that firms must meet to avoid churn.
How retailers and CPG companies will need to respond
The findings imply near-term operational adjustments rather than long-range pivots at a time when household budgets remain under strain and regulatory scrutiny of digital markets is tightening. Pricing logic and front-end merchandising will need to incorporate clearer labelling of unit sizes and explicit messaging around any quality or pack changes; loyalty strategies should widen beyond purely financial rewards to incorporate emotional engagement and trust signals; and AI deployments must include transparent explanations of recommendations and explicit consumer controls. The report also notes that a minority of shoppers are willing to pay subscription fees for conversational shopping assistants, suggesting limited direct monetization potential without demonstrable added value.
Several of the study’s metrics are immediately actionable at the product and category level:
- Price and size disclosures: retailers should standardize visible communications on pack size and price-per-unit to reduce perceived – and actual – shrinkflation, aligning commercial practice more closely with evolving consumer-protection expectations.
- AI transparency: incorporate explanation layers and opt-out controls into recommendation engines and chat assistants to address the 71% of respondents worried about how generative AI uses personal data, anticipating obligations under horizontal AI and data-protection regimes such as the EU Artificial Intelligence Act.
- Human + digital design: preserve human assistance channels for complex or high-stakes transactions – such as financial services, healthcare products or major home investments – while using AI to reduce friction in routine interactions.
Corporate profile and sector positioning
The Capgemini Research Institute is the in-house think tank for Capgemini, focused on the business impact of digital technologies and ranked by independent analysts for research quality. The parent group, an international technology and consulting firm with a multiyear focus on AI and digital transformation, reported 2024 global revenues of €22.1 billion and employs in the hundreds of thousands across more than 50 countries. Capgemini’s scale and client base give its consumer-research outputs commercial relevance for large retailers and brand owners that rely on institutional studies when setting strategy.
| Capgemini group – key figures | |
|---|---|
| Latest reported 2024 revenue | €22.1 billion |
| Approximate workforce | ~420,000 people |
| Geographic footprint | Operations in 50+ countries |
Capgemini SE is a publicly traded European company with a primary listing on Euronext Paris under the ticker CAP, positioning it as a major consultancy and systems integrator in technology and business transformation for enterprise clients. That market position underpins the Research Institute’s access to corporate data and client use cases that inform its consumer research.
“Value today goes beyond price and quality, it’s built on fairness, transparency, and emotional connection. Consumers want invisible AI that both empowers informed decisions and seamlessly blends convenience and emotional connection,” said Dreen Yang, Global Consumer Products & Retail Leader at Capgemini. “AI is increasingly reshaping the shopping experience, but success depends on clarity, responsible use, and safeguards that protect consumers. Brands that blend technology with trust and purpose will enjoy lasting loyalty.”
Regulatory and governance considerations
The report’s emphasis on disclosure, data transparency and consumer control aligns with contemporaneous regulatory trends in key markets that are increasing scrutiny of algorithmic transparency, data use and unfair commercial practices. For companies operating across jurisdictions, these developments translate into compliance demands for explainability, record-keeping of AI decision logic, and clearer consumer-facing communications – all of which carry implementation costs and potential audit requirements. For boards, chief risk officers and public policymakers, the study functions as an early signal of how voters and consumers are likely to interpret “fair” digital commerce as AI tools move from pilots into everyday use.
Market signals and next steps for industry actors
Marketing, product and operations teams have several concrete, near-term tasks derived from the survey’s results: audit price-per-unit and pack-size communications; pilot consumer-facing controls for AI assistants, including clear notices when generative systems are in use; and test hybrid human-plus-AI support models for categories where consumers report a strong preference for human interaction. Procurement and compliance leaders may also need to revisit vendor contracts to ensure alignment with internal AI-governance policies and with emerging external rules.
The Capgemini Research Institute plans to brief the sector on its findings at the National Retail Federation’s NRF 2026 gathering in New York, scheduled January 11-13, 2026, where the study’s implications for merchandising, store operations and digital channels are expected to be discussed alongside broader debates over responsible AI in retail.
For more detail on the report and its methodology, GlobalHeadlinez reviewed the document released on January 6, 2026; the Capgemini Research Institute maintains a public research library with the full study and supporting materials.
