İZSİAD Chairman Alaattin Yüksel warns of shifting 2026 consumer trends

Alaattin Yüksel, Chairman of the Izmir Industrialists and Businessmen Association (İZSİAD), has highlighted a significant shift in global consumer purchasing habits based on McKinsey & Company’s ‘State of the Consumer 2026’ report. The research, conducted across five countries with 4,863 consumers, identifies four key trends: technology-driven shopping, health, the experience economy, and more frugal consumption behaviors.

Yüksel noted that consumers no longer evaluate products solely on price and quality, but rather on the entire relationship with the brand, including digital visibility, brand trust, and after-sales service. He emphasized that these changes affect all businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises in Izmir, not just global corporations.

The report also highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence, with approximately 22% of consumers using generative AI in their shopping processes—a figure that rises to 28% among Gen Z. Yüksel advised that businesses must re-evaluate their entire processes, from production and marketing to customer experience, to remain competitive in this increasingly digital and selective market.