Q3 2025 emerging retail and consumer trends

In Q3 2025, the retail and consumer products landscape continues to evolve. This report uncovers three timely trends in the marketplace, from the rise of omnichannel shopping, to the humanization of pets fueling a new economy, and the ascent of private label brands as trusted staples, each fueled by Gen Z consumers (born between 1997 and 2012). This young generation is not simply driving change, but also redefining expectations across channels, categories and experiences.

Trend 1: Gen Z’s unexpected omnichannel approach

Though often labeled “digital natives,” Gen Z is the "most authentically omni-shopping generation”—blending digital discovery with a strong preference for in-person shopping.

Gen Z uses online social media marketplaces, such as Instagram and TikTok, more than any other, with 64% of Gen Z using social media to research products, and 35% of Gen Z using social media to discover products, almost 2x the rate of older generations. Furthermore, 33% of Gen Z uses online forums to learn about products, compared to 21% for non-Gen Z consumers.

Despite this digital fluency, almost 50% of total Gen Z spending is from in-store mass merchandise and grocery purchases and 73% of Gen Z shop in-person at least once a week, compared to only 65% of Baby Boomers.

Trend 2: How the humanization of pets created a new economy

Imagine dining at a café where your dog gets a gourmet menu, or seeing friends throw birthday parties for their iguanas. The line between “pet” and “family member” is quickly disappearing as pets become integrated into every part of daily life—from personalized portraits to custom “catios” (cat-patios).

This humanization trend is driving a new wave of personalized, preventative health solutions for pets. People are not just caring for animals—they’re nurturing companions whose well-being mirrors their own. As a result, pet wellness is now managed with the same sophistication as human healthcare, reflecting a broader cultural shift in how we value and care for our pets.

Pet owners are spending heavily on their pets, sometimes rivaling their own personal expenses. With the global pet industry set to grow more than 45% over the next five years and exceed $500 billion by 2030, this shift reflects changing consumer behaviors and preferences towards organic foods and healthier products.

Trend 3: Store brands are the new go-to for customers

While private label brands are not a new phenomenon, they have been growing in popularity for years and are at their highest levels of adoption. In 2024, nearly every household (99%+) purchased a private-label grocery, health and beauty, or household items, despite private label products comprising less than 30% of each of these sectors. Overall, sales of private label products grew 4% from 2024 to 2025.

Unsurprisingly, one of the main drivers behind the adoption of private label products is their attractive price point. Private labels usually do not incur extraneous branding, marketing expenses, and store placement fees, allowing retailers to price their products more competitively than their name brand competitors.

The rise of private labels has erased the old stigma that “generic equals inferior.” Once viewed as the cheaper, less effective option, private labels now rival national brands so closely that 72% of consumers can’t tell them apart in side-by-side comparisons. In fact, 84% say they trust private label quality as much or more than national brands.