For marketers, millennials represent high engagement across social platforms and elevated price sensitivity amid cost-of-living pressures.

The continued economic turmoil means that retailers will face a fork in the road in 2026, according to marketing experts. While luxury shoppers remain a strong segment, many consumers will insist on affordability, and retailers will have to wrestle with this gap.

2025 challenged many of retail’s long-held assumptions. What looked like familiar patterns often turned out to be something different entirely, and in the process, a few key trends were either missed or misread by brands trying to make sense of shifting shopper behavior. Here are three trends from 2025 that were either overlooked or misunderstood, and why they will matter in the year ahead.

Online marketplaces are a crucial channel for growth in Europe. But brands need a nuanced strategy to navigate the complex, fragmented landscape.

Online fashion sales are stable and growing slowly, but they lag wider ecommerce. Consumers are concerned about sustainability, but price is a bigger priority.

Online fashion sales growth in France is stabilizing as global competitors capture market share and social platforms become more influential.

The market will return to growth in 2025, but retailers face ongoing disruption from ultra-fast-fashion players and TikTok Shop.

ThredUp sees a big opportunity ahead: Steep tariffs on China and the closing of the de minimis loophole will drive up prices for new products, which could be a boon to the resale platform.

LoopMe partners with Cedara for a sustainable ad future: The partnership emphasizes the need for sustainable commitments for brands and consumers.

Brands keep quiet on sustainability this Earth Month: Green initiatives among retailers are few and far between due to anti-ESG campaigns and tariff concerns.

While sustainability is a factor in consumers’ decision-making, financial constraints and convenience still dictate most purchasing behavior.

Google offers carbon footprint reports for its ad services: The move emphasizes the need for advertisers to value the environmental impact of campaigns.

Brands will benefit from sustainability commitments: While some might step back in light of the new administration, investing in sustainability still pays off.

Organizations will prioritize governance in 2025 as they ramp up genAI investments in pursuit of business transformation.

“Underconsumption core” trends on TikTok: 3 in 5 Gen Zers are following the trend, leading many to cut back on online shopping.

Big Tech’s energy shift: Companies like Google and Microsoft are increasingly turning to nuclear energy to meet the escalating power demands of AI, but regulators could stop projects before they start.

Apple remains the top brand around: But the tech giant saw its first decline in 20 years as competitors embrace AI more seamlessly.

Advertisers prioritize news integrity: Supporting quality journalism now ranks third among corporate values influencing marketing strategies, marking a significant shift.

Mass affluent consumers are a $177.2 trillion global market that banks have struggled to serve. Now emerging technologies are finally enabling them to capture this lucrative demographic.

Ikea’s business model evolves: In addition to experimenting with new store formats in new locations and bolstering its online presence, the furniture giant tests a peer-to-peer secondhand marketplace.