What does ‘value’ mean to shoppers in 2026?

We know consumers tend to change their minds often and relatively quickly, but are retailers keeping up? As it turns out, not always.

Per a survey from BCG’s Center for Customer Insight, 67% of shoppers said they wouldn’t purchase an item they could afford if it didn’t offer “strong value.”

However, a few factors drive the perception of value for consumers. Quality, for instance, remains the biggest such driver, accounting for 35% of value satisfaction overall, followed by price and promotions at 27%, though priorities vary by category, from brand connection in skin care and mobile (22%) to volume in prepared foods (16%).

More than a third (37%) of consumers identify as “longevity seekers,” with 81% regularly eating home-cooked meals, 44% enrolling in a gym or fitness class in the past year, and 39% using antiaging creams and beauty nutrition products.

And many shoppers noted an “information overload” that led 43% to say they felt mentally overwhelmed. Many of those turned to experts, family and friends, and of course AI for trusted information, as opposed to brands and advertisements.

Nearly a third of consumers said they already use AI while shopping, and 19% rely on it regularly. Among the frequent users, 70% ultimately purchase products AI recommends.

Those numbers are also in line with previous research cited by Retail Brew. A 2025 State of E-Commerce report by Shopify and Constructor found that about 1 in 5 shoppers trusted AI over partners when choosing gifts, while 26% said that “an algorithm that’s seen their browsing and purchase history is likely to get their taste right.”

Likewise, earlier this year, a survey by the Small Business expo found that more than 53% of consumers saw quality and personal service as their primary purchasing factor.