Gen Z Spending is Expected to Reach $12 Trillion by 2030. Here's Why That Doesn't Matter as Much as Brands Think
New NIQ report reveals consumers across generations are trading up and trading down in the same shopping basket, putting new pressure on middle-market products
The biggest shift in consumer spending isn't generational—it's behavioral. New research from NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) finds consumers across every age group are increasingly making the same calculation: where is a premium worth paying, and where can they save money instead? The result is a growing divide between premium and value products, while traditional middle-market offerings face mounting pressure.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260812239453/en/ Every generation is spending differently, but all are weighing value more carefully
The findings come from NIQ's latest global report, A Tale of Two Consumers: The Polarized Mindsets Reshaping Global Consumption, developed in collaboration with World Data Lab. While Gen X accounted for $15.2 trillion in spending in 2025 and Gen Z is expected to reach $12 trillion by 2030, the report finds that age alone no longer explains purchasing decisions. Consumers across generations are increasingly alternating between premium and value-seeking behaviors depending on category, occasion, and need.
