1. Alphapreneurs’ Growing Ambitions

Gen Alpha’s entrepreneurial ambitions are expanding as they age. Ambitious members of this cohort are doing everything from pet sitting, reselling, and making money through online games (profiled in the Future Consumer Lifecycle 26/27: Gen Alpha) to co-creating compelling brands in collaboration with parents and experts.

2. Fighting Misinformation’s Impact on Youth

False and AI-generated content is thriving in online spaces frequented by young people. But many aren’t equipped to confront it: in 2024, only 11% of American 18- to 29-year-olds scored highly on a fake news detection test, compared to 36% of over-65s (University of Virginia, 2024). In response, civic-minded journalists and tech firms are using algorithms to bring verified facts to young people’s screens.

3. A Newly Health Obsessed Cohort

Driven by global wellness trends, young people are prioritising their physical health. While mostly positive, some are pushing boundaries – following extreme dietary regimens (like drinking raw milk or carnivore diets), doing controversial cleanses and overexercising – encouraged by ‘crunchy teen influencers’. Brands now face a dual challenge: meeting demand for health-conscious products while helping teens assess health trends critically.

4. Low-Tech Student Life

Globally, many schools are banning smartphones to improve student focus and social dynamics. Without them, students are adopting low-tech and analogue methods to aid their studies and decompress in-and-outside of class. Some are handwriting study notes – a method that aids information retention. Others are leveraging ‘low distraction’ devices like internet-less iPods. See also Future Consumer Life Cycle: Gen Alpha on EdTech.

5. Reclaiming Online Privacy

The ceaseless stream of content on social media is eroding many young people’s sense of online community. As Gens Z and Alpha see fewer posts from real-life friends, they’re switching to platforms that swap impersonal public attention for meaningful interactions. Smart brands are building private platforms where young people can connect with friends.

6. IRL Socialising Support for the Digital-First Cohort

Younger Gen Zers and older Gen Alphas (under 22) experienced a ‘digital-first adolescence’. This contrasts with older Gen Zers (23-29), who developed extensive in-person skills in classrooms and offices. This scenario has created a stark generational social-skill gap between those who learned to socialise in real life (IRL) and those who developed a digital-first worldview, leaving some of the younger cohort struggling to interact IRL.

7. Soft Nightlife

A portion of Gen Z is reimagining nights out. Alcohol-fuelled outings are expensive, according to Gen Zers – hence, this cohort often favours gentler, conversation-driven evenings. Cue events at listening bars, poetry readings, bathhouses, saunas, and even boardgame nights. See Spaces Cultivating Connection for more on new ways of connecting.

8. Luxury’s Young Cost-Conscious & Culture-Driven Consumers

As budgets tighten, young high-end consumers are growing more discerning when it comes to their purchases – embracing second-hand premium goods as well as group buying methods. Those investing in luxury products are justifying the cost by demanding insight into craftsmanship, cultural significance and material quality. Look out for our upcoming report 10 Luxury Trends 26/27 in November.

9. Political Distrust & Low Democratic Confidence

Many young voters worldwide feel increasingly unmoored from traditional politics as they believe governments rarely address youth needs – like easing the cost of living and housing crises. Many conclude that politics and democracy don’t serve them well enough. Eroding trust is fuelling disengagement, rising anti-establishment sentiment, and even protests that sometimes lead to leadership change.

10. Seeking Low-Risk Intimacy

Gen Z’s approach to intimacy is shifting. Whilst progressive on gender identity and sexuality, intercourse feels increasingly high-stakes for young people, as reproductive rights vanish and online private chats could go public. Brands must recognise that for many, sex may no longer be an enjoyable – or desirable – rite of passage, and offer tools to explore interpersonal relationships without the emotional and physical risk.