The WARC 2026 Consumer Trends report explores key issues influencing consumer purchase decisions across brands and categories
23 April 2026 – WARC has today released its 2026 Global Consumer Trends report exploring the key issues that will influence consumer purchase decisions across brands and categories over the next year.
Based on a comprehensive set of GWI surveys combined with WARC’s own research, case studies and analysis, the report focuses on five trends influencing brand selection, each examined through the lens of WARC’s proprietary GEISTE framework: consumers’ pivot to comfort consumption amid prolonged uncertainty, the rise of AI companionship, escalating restrictions to youth social media access, a reassessment of ‘Made in China’ brands, and the growing demand for authenticity and transparency in AI generated content.
Stephanie Siew, Senior Research Executive, WARC, says: “Consumer sentiment in 2026 remains fragile, shaped by financial pressures, geopolitical turbulence, and a growing need for escape, with spend shifting to small comforts that bring joy. Brands that forge emotional connections will thrive, but must navigate rising scrutiny on technology, authenticity, and trust to make a meaningful impact.”
“Our annual Consumer Trends report provides a broader view of the major issues confronting our industry from the perspective of consumers, with suggestions to help businesses create the most impact in the year ahead.”
The consumer trends that will shape spending decisions in the year ahead, identified by WARC are:
Uncertainty fuels comfort consumption: Nearly half (45%) of employed consumers are concerned about their job security. One third (33%) are either saving more or cutting back on expenses due to job market conditions
Ongoing macroeconomic turbulence, geopolitical conflict, and employment anxiety have created a sense of emotional and financial fatigue among consumers. Half (50%) of consumers view financial stress as the biggest contributor to their unhappiness.
Consumers are reacting to uncertainty by being more intentional with their money, channelling spending toward purchases that bring them joy at minimal cost, such as wellness and hobbies. While there is also a desire for travel, ongoing geopolitical conflict threatens to dampen this demand as safety concerns and potential fuel price increases impact affordability and destination choices.
To tap into consumers’ desire for accessible joy, marketers are recommended to explore ways to align brand offerings with these smaller comforts that consumers are prioritising.
AI redefines companionship: 1 in 10 consumers globally report having been in a relationship with an AI chatbot. 62% of users in these relationships say they are likely to turn to an AI chatbot rather than a human friend for personal advice
Consumers are increasingly using AI tools for social fulfilment including companionship and emotional support, which is redefining interpersonal relationships: 1 in 10 consumers globally report having been in a relationship with an AI chatbot. AI companions appeal to users by reducing loneliness and removing the complexities of human interaction.
This demand for frictionless connection is driving innovation across categories, such as AI-powered toys and companion devices designed to meet the emotional and safety needs of the elderly. Consumers are also becoming more trusting of AI as their relationships deepen.
Marketers must tread carefully when leveraging AI to engage with vulnerable populations – particularly younger demographics – and address potential safety and mental health risks.
Challenges to youth social media access: 64% of consumers believe social media is harmful to children. Half (51%) would support age verification for social media
Concerns around the potential harms of social media for teens and children, such as cyber bullying and exposure to harmful content, have escalated, triggering a wave of legislation and debate around social media bans for minors.
Restrictions on younger audiences pose challenges for marketers, as platforms play a growing role in Gen Alpha’s purchasing journey, from product discovery to reviews and style inspiration. Social media restrictions may redirect media investments toward alternative channels such as private messaging apps and family-friendly streaming services.
Brands should consider creating their own channels and community spaces to enhance content control and customer relationships. With tighter restrictions on reaching younger audiences, targeting parents as key decision-makers and prioritising child safety and transparency can build trust and offer a competitive edge. Influencer marketing must adapt with robust safety measures, regulatory compliance, and audience verification to ensure responsible engagement.
Reassessment of ‘Made in China’: 36% of consumers now recognise Chinese apps and tech products as “innovative”. 1 in 4 people globally now prefer to buy their personal electronics and smart devices from China, ranking it behind only the US and Japan
Chinese companies are moving beyond traditional manufacturing roles, establishing themselves as influential global players and focusing on building highly valued, emotionally resonant brands. Consequently, the “Made in China” low price perception is changing, particularly in the tech, automotive and personal lifestyle categories, although affordability remains a key association with Chinese-made products.
Marketers should focus on building trust through quality, technological innovation, and emotional connections to drive sustainable premium pricing, and should consider investing in deep local market insights, cultural nuances, regulatory frameworks and consumer behaviour to build authentic connections.
Legacy global brands can leverage established distribution channels, which present immediate barriers to entry for emerging competitors, and may be better positioned to cope with energy shortages compared to some Asian economies.
The promise and threat of AI in content: 85% of people say knowing an artwork is made by a human makes it more meaningful. 78% of consumers believe it is very or extremely important for AI-generated content to be clearly labelledThe flood of AI-generated content in digital spaces has sparked pushback from consumers over quality and ethical concerns. In entertainment sectors such as gaming, some fans are actively opposing the use of AI, forcing several developers to rethink their releases.
At the same time, a portion of consumers see potential for AI to improve creative quality. According to Billion Dollar Boy, around four in ten consumers believe AI has improved both the quality and diversity of creator content.
Authenticity and transparency remain top priorities for consumers as many already struggle to differentiate AI-generated from human-made content. Eight in ten (78%) demand clear labelling and disclosures when AI has been used, especially in high stakes contexts such as healthcare, politics, or law. They hold similar disclosure expectations for social media.
Tyityaba Nature Reserve, a proclaimed reserve covering roughly 13,000 hectares on the Wild Coast, has been listed at an indicative R145 million (about USD 8.9 million)
EAST LONDON, South Africa, June 8, 2026/APO Group/ –One of the largest privately held conservation properties in the Eastern Cape has been put up for sale. Tyityaba Nature Reserve, a proclaimed reserve covering roughly 13,000 hectares on the Wild Coast, has been listed at an indicative R145 million (about USD 8.9 million), according to the selling agent, Bass Property Group (www.BassPropertyGroup.co.za).
The property sits about 18 kilometres inland from Kei Mouth. Its status as a gazetted proclaimed reserve, a designation under South African law, ties the land to long-term conservation management and places it within a category of property that has drawn growing interest from investors looking for protected land. Listings of this scale are uncommon, and proclaimed reserves seldom change hands, making the sale a notable event in the regional market.
Scale and setting
Size is the reserve’s most distinguishing feature. It holds about 26 kilometres of frontage along the Kei River and a perimeter of roughly 81 kilometres, taking in rolling bushveld, riverine thicket and the open vistas typical of the Wild Coast, a region known for its biodiversity and its remoteness. The varied terrain supports a mix of habitats, from valley grassland to dense thicket, that sustains the reserve’s wildlife through the seasons.
That remoteness is relative. King Phalo Airport in East London, which has direct flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town, is about an hour away by road, placing the reserve within comfortable reach of major centres while preserving the seclusion that defines the Wild Coast.
Wildlife
The reserve carries buffalo, giraffe, leopard, zebra, blue wildebeest, eland and impala, along with a wide range of birdlife. Populations of spiral-horned antelope, such as nyala, kudu and bushbuck, are prolific and well established. Tyityaba has a long record of regulated, quota-based wildlife use carried out within South Africa’s conservation framework, and its established game populations would allow a new owner to continue managed conservation operations without a lengthy restocking period.
Twenty-six kilometres of river frontage and 13,000 hectares of established habitat take generations to form and cannot be recreated
Infrastructure
The main lodge has eight en-suite bedrooms and shared entertainment areas. The property also includes an abattoir and workshop, with several other farm dwellings spread across the holding that could house staff or be developed to accommodate guests. An airstrip on site would need upgrading before it could be used, though it raises the possibility of fly-in access alongside the road route from East London. Together, the existing buildings give a buyer a working base from which to operate or further develop the reserve.
How it can be bought
The land is made up of 26 portions across five titles. It can be bought as a single holding or, the agent says, divided among several owners as a development. That structure is part of what they expect will determine who comes forward.
“Tyityaba is a large landholding of a kind that rarely comes to the open market in South Africa,” said Hanlie Bassingthwaighte, a principal of Bass Property Group. “Its main strength is flexibility. It can work as a single-owner reserve or as the basis for a development shared among several owners.”
Price
The reserve is listed at an indicative R145 million (about USD 8.9 million). The agent attributes the figure to the property’s size, biodiversity and the range of ownership options it allows.
“Twenty-six kilometres of river frontage and 13,000 hectares of established habitat take generations to form and cannot be recreated,” said Joshua Bassingthwaighte, also a principal of the firm.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Bass Property Group.
In Luanda, ANGOTIC 2026 is expected to attract more than 20,000 participants and visitors, including prominent international political figures, global ICT industry leaders, national and international exhibiting companies
LUANDA, Angola, June 5, 2026/APO Group/ –The sixth edition of ANGOTIC – International Information and Communication Technologies Forum (www.ANGOTIC.ao) – will take place in Luanda at the Talatona Convention Centre on 11, 12 and 13 June 2026 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday).
Under the theme “On the Road to Digital Transformation”, a slogan that was neither randomly chosen nor defined by chance, the event seeks to highlight the achievements attained by the Angolan Government in recent years. These achievements are based on the strengthening, improvement and expansion of ICT infrastructure, including ANGOSAT-2 and the National Space Programme, the National Broadband Network Project, the expansion and reinforcement of fibre-optic networks, particularly the 2Africa submarine cable, the implementation of the INAMET modernisation programme, Digital Terrestrial Television, and more recently, the commissioning of the Government Data Centre and Cloud Platform.
These and other initiatives have facilitated and expanded access to telecommunications and information technology services for citizens, while encouraging operators to continuously develop solutions tailored to the needs of businesses and individuals.
ANGOTIC presents itself as an international platform for fostering and strengthening relationships, bringing together exhibitions of products and services based on the innovative capacity of operators, presentations and debates on current ICT-related topics and challenges. It also serves as a privileged venue for training and capacity-building initiatives, the launch of new products and services, the strengthening of relationships among operators through the signing of agreements and business meetings, as well as the promotion of Angolan culture.
At ANGOTIC, and in response to the needs identified by both the organisers and the market, participants will find, in addition to the activities already mentioned above, the Startup Zone and the Kids Zone, both of which will offer a vibrant daily programme of activities and experiences.
The Startup Zone, designed under an inclusive and integrated 360-degree concept, comprises the Entrepreneurship Support Centre, Investment Centre, Artificial Intelligence for Business Training Room, Digital Payments Hub, and a Hackathon focused on Artificial Intelligence and Space Technology.
At the Entrepreneurship Support Centre, companies and participants will be able to explore and experience all the stages involved in establishing a business, from the business idea itself to financing, feasibility studies, company registration through the One-Stop Business Registration Office (Guiché Único da Empresa), logo and branding development, INAPEM certification, and trademark and patent registration through IAPI.
Also within the Startup Zone, at the 360° Stage, all startups and companies participating in the event will have the opportunity to obtain INAPEM certification through the Entrepreneurship Support Centre, enabling them to benefit from advantages such as tax exemptions and eligibility to participate in public tenders.
At the Investment Centre, investment solutions for businesses, micro-enterprises and entrepreneurs will be available, as well as access to microcredit opportunities.
The Digital Payments Hub will facilitate partnerships with Pay4All for the integration of payment solutions through references, Multicaixa, Multicaixa Express and e-Kwanza into a single platform within 24 hours. The area will also feature the INAPEM business incubator (TWENDY).
The Kids Zone, a family-oriented space aimed at children, teenagers, young people, students, teachers, partners, companies and institutional visitors, among others, will feature the following key activities during this edition of ANGOTIC:
Kids Tech Academy – electronics and programming for children;
ITEL Creator Studio – podcasting, vector photography and digital content creation;
Robotics Arena – robotics workshops, assembly and demonstrations;
Future Careers Zone – immersive experiences focused on the professions of the future;
Immersive Tech Lab – virtual and augmented reality experiences;
STEM Simulation Lab – simulated science and technology experiments;
E-Sports Learning Zone – educationally guided digital gaming activities;
Electric Mobility Track – electric vehicles developed by students;
ITEL Brand Store – institutional products and merchandise;
Student Innovation Gallery – exhibition of 12 technological projects developed by ITEL students.
In Luanda, ANGOTIC 2026 is expected to attract more than 20,000 participants and visitors, including prominent international political figures, global ICT industry leaders, national and international exhibiting companies, startups from various provinces of Angola, approximately 100 national and international speakers, national and international media organisations—some of which will travel specifically to the Angolan capital for the event—as well as academics, researchers and technology enthusiasts.
According to the programme for this edition, the following have already been confirmed as of the date of this press release: 11 national and international companies as official sponsors of ANGOTIC, more than 300 startups—having already reached the maximum capacity allocated to them—approximately 200 exhibiting and non-exhibiting companies, and nearly 5,000 tickets already sold.
Regarding ticket sales, it is worth highlighting that, as in the 2025 edition, tickets are also available through the ANGOTIC website. The “Family Ticket” category allows up to three children accompanied by a guardian to access the ANGOTIC experience with a single ticket.
Afreximbank remains committed to supporting increased intra-Caribbean and Africa-Caribbean trade by improving access to trade finance, investment capital and advisory support
KINGSTON, Jamaica, June 5, 2026/APO Group/ –In a move to highlight the strategic importance of the Jamaican market within the Caribbean and the country’s growing role in regional trade and investment, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank or the Bank) (www.Afreximbank.com) undertook an inaugural roadshow in Kingston, Jamaica, on 2 June 2026.
Organised under the theme, “Empowering Jamaica’s Growth: Catalysing Trade, Investment and Industrialisation through Tailored Afreximbank Solutions,” the roadshow built on the momentum generated by Jamaica’s signing of Afreximbank’s Partnership Agreement in July 2025 and the subsequent approval by the Bank’s Board of Directors of a US$5 billion financing facility for the Caribbean, including Jamaica.
It is clear that the partnership between Afreximbank and Jamaica continues to strengthen
The roadshow attracted strong participation from Jamaica’s business community. It provided an opportunity to raise awareness of Afreximbank’s mandate, mission and vision among key stakeholders in Jamaica, including government representatives, private sector leaders and financial institutions. It also served as a platform to introduce the Bank’s suite of financing, trade facilitation and investment solutions to the Jamaican market for the first time.
In addition, the engagement enabled the Afreximbank delegation to gain valuable insights into Jamaica’s trade and development priorities, investment opportunities, financing needs and business environment. These interactions have further strengthened the Bank’s understanding of the Jamaican market and will help inform the development of tailored solutions to support the country’s economic growth and trade ambitions.
The keynote address was delivered by Hon. Fayval Williams, Minister of Finance and the Public Service. In her remarks, Minister Williams stated: “We understand that, for more than three decades, Afreximbank has been delivering financing solutions that support trade and drive economic growth across Africa. Its reach now extends beyond the continent’s shores, with the Bank establishing a growing presence in the Caribbean. It is clear that the partnership between Afreximbank and Jamaica continues to strengthen. I therefore encourage all Jamaican institutions represented here today to deepen their engagement with Afreximbank so that, together, we can unlock greater opportunities for two-way trade and investment between Jamaica and Africa.”
Also, speaking at the event, Mr. Eric Monchu Intong, Afreximbank’s Group Managing Director, Client Relations and Regional Office Operations, highlighted the Bank’s experience in supporting tourism and hospitality development across Africa and the Caribbean. He said: “At Afreximbank, we believe that industrialisation is the foundation of sustainable trade and economic transformation. To trade successfully with Global Africa, we must first produce. Through investments in industrial parks, special economic zones and local manufacturing, Jamaica has an opportunity to reduce import dependence, increase value-added exports, create jobs and strengthen its economic resilience. This approach has delivered results across 18 African countries, where Afreximbank has supported the development of industrial parks and special economic zones through initiatives such as its US$450 million global credit facility with ARISE IIP, alongside critical trade finance support to businesses across the continent. We believe these lessons and solutions can be adapted to support Jamaica’s industrial growth ambitions and unlock new opportunities for trade, investment and economic development.”
Afreximbank remains committed to supporting increased intra-Caribbean and Africa-Caribbean trade by improving access to trade finance, investment capital and advisory support. The roadshow underscored the Bank’s commitment to advancing the Global Africa agenda and strengthening economic and commercial ties between Africa and the Caribbean.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.
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