Five Global Trends that are Shaping Consumer Behaviour

This new report provides essential reading to brands that want to understand current consumer attitudes and how to navigate their future.

Conversations around the technologies has risen 94% including a 134% rise in discussions of AI-enabled relationships – the fastest growing micro- trend! 

Diageo, maker of Smirnoff, Gordon’s, and Guinness, has launched a global report offering insight into consumer trends around the world. 

Combining in-depth quantitative analysis from the past two years with expert foresights into next year’s consumer behaviours, “Distilled: A Diageo Foresight Report,” provides essential reading to brands, regardless of region or industry, wanting to understand current consumer attitudes and how to navigate their future.

The report has uncovered five global trends that are shaping consumer behaviour. These are:

• Neo-Hedonism: consumers are re-evaluating how they spend their money, searching for innovative ways to experience pleasure in their everyday lives. This is one of the newer trends but on the rise (+39%), with consumers searching for meaningful & unique experiences over wealthy gifts.
• Betterment Brands: consumers’ conversations show them to be increasingly eco-conscious, becoming more aware of the environmental and social impact of their choices. Although not a new phenomenon its importance cannot be downplayed, with consumers increasingly (+44%) seeking ways to align their purchasing decisions with their values.
• Conscious Wellbeing: there has been a transformation in how consumers define health and happiness, with consumers having a more holistic view of wellbeing. The report found over 2.7M discussions globally of self-love (+40%).
• Expanding Reality: technologies like AI, VR, and AR are revolutionising how consumers perceive and interact with reality. Conversations around the technologies has risen 94% including a 134% rise in discussions of AI-enabled relationships – the fastest growing micro- trend identified in the report.[1]
• Collective Belonging: consumers are increasingly seeking real and virtual spaces that embrace unity, acceptance, and allow them to engage with like-minded individuals. The report uncovered 28.7M mentions of the topic globally (+41%) making it our most discussed trend, including a 42% increase in conversations around championing inclusive cultures.

‘Distilled’ has been created by Diageo’s ‘Foresight System’, a digital tool developed by Diageo and its data and insight partners that monitors and tracks global conversations from web sources and social media platforms. This included conversations in English, Chinese Mandarin and Spanish across social media, YouTube, television, online forums, and digital media.

The report also offers Diageo’s foresights for global consumer behaviours in 2024. This includes a shift towards more mindful approaches to adventure, the increased popularity of fully customisable products, and the rise of more immersive learning experiences. 

Mark Sandys, Chief Innovation Officer at Diageo, commented: “To be entrepreneurial in mindset and action, brands mustn’t be afraid to look beyond their own walls. The trends showcased in ‘Distilled’ underline the need for brands to embrace change, reimagine strategies, and stay agile in responding to evolving consumer needs, presenting itself as an essential tool for brands planning future innovation.”

Giles Hedger, Global Consumer Planning Director at Diageo, commented: “Socialising is the wider behavioural ‘category’ that drives Total Beverage Alcohol consumption – it’s the fuel that powers the engine. At Diageo, our ambition is to understand socialising better than any company on Earth, and to do so we need to understand the forces that are shaping it. Our Foresight System allows us to detect and track long-term consumer shifts and approach our marketing and innovation with that mindset, and we’re thrilled to be sharing some of these insights.”