The data: Wellness is becoming a more important life goal for US consumers, alongside family, relationships, and career success. Two-thirds say they're prioritizing wellness more than last year, according to McKinsey’s 2026 Future of Wellness survey of 10,000 respondents across China, Germany, the US, and the UK. McKinsey defines wellness broadly, including nutrition, fitness, appearance, longevity, supplements, and functional foods.

Key stat: The US wellness market now exceeds $700 billion and is growing 5% to 10% annually, while the global wellness market is worth $2.7 trillion, per McKinsey.

Why it matters: Most consumers treat wellness spending as nonnegotiable. Just 21% of US adults would cut health and wellness spending if their finances or the broader economy worsened, making it one of the most resilient spending categories surveyed, per a September ICSC report.

Consumers’ wellness commitments extend beyond spending to personal identity. Roughly one-third of US respondents to McKinsey’s survey described wellness as core to who they are, and McKinsey linked it to how luxury goods can serve as status symbols. For example, a regular exercise routine may be as much an expression of personal identity as a way to improve health. About 30% of US consumers said they want to “operate at their peak,” rather than simply “be well,” while more than 40% said they’re willing to “do whatever it takes to live as long as possible.”

Consumer enthusiasm for wellness and easier access to wellness information through AI and social media are likely raising expectations that products and services will deliver results. Effectiveness and price tied as the top purchasing factors for wellness products (44% each), followed by quality (41%), per McKinsey.

Implications for wellness brands and marketers: The wellness boom goes beyond buying more supplements, healthier foods, or fitness trackers. Consumers want products and services that improve their long-term health and quality of life. They won’t spend indiscriminately to get them. As wellness offerings proliferate, brands will face growing pressure to prove their benefits rather than relying on broad health claims.

That pressure is especially relevant for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, which are increasingly positioning products around wellness. Some 53% of the fastest-growing CPG brands (those posting annual gains above 20%) have a core health and wellness proposition, more than double the share among brands with slower sales growth, per McKinsey. Meanwhile, 33% of new US CPG product launches this year through September contained a wellness-related claim, per McKinsey. For now, CPG brands are succeeding by reframing products around wellness, but sustaining that momentum will require credible research, transparent ingredients, and measurable benefits in areas that align with consumers’ specific wellness needs.