Global Scans · Consumer · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Technology will become the new sales assistant, always on, always friendly, always delivering. Consumers will co-create and create products to their exact needs. Brands will have to focus on seizing mobile moments on apps that already have consumer's attention. Instantly explore below how lifestyles, buying behaviors and attitudes are changing and where you fall short in the battle to win consumers hearts and minds.

• [New] Generation Z already wields an estimated $9.8 trillion in global spending power and is projected to drive nearly 20% of global consumer spending by 2030. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Accurate labelling is critical for consumer trust and food transparency and warns it will continue enforcement as demand for Product of Canada and Made in Canada foods rises. JD Supra
• [New] Consumer confidence plunged to a record low in April as fears mounted over rising energy prices and the broader impact of the Iran war. CNBC
• [New] Consumer electronics prices will increase 18% in the short run from tariffs, with a long-run stabilization around 5%. ViralZip Blog
• [New] Qualcomm, a leading provider of memory chips, is preparing for the day when AI agents rather than smartphones will be driving consumer decisions. Yahoo Finance
• [New] By end use, the shared autonomous mobility services segment is projected to grow at a solid CAGR of 26.9% between 2026 and 2035. Precedence Research
• [New] By application, the mobility assistance for elderly or disabled users segment is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 29.1% between 2026 and 2035. Precedence Research
• [New] As AI evolves, laws and regulations that protect the public interest will be vital for consumer trust and continued American economic competitiveness. New America
• [New] DTC channels are forecast to generate up to 50% of overall CPG revenue by 2026, reshaping how brands own consumer relationships. APPWRK IT Solutions
• [New] By 2026, 17% of all online sales will occur through social platforms (Escalent Consumer Trends, 2026), with livestream shopping approaching $70 billion in the US. APPWRK IT Solutions
• [New] Healthy Cities (Spain) will work with Autoridat del Transporte Metropolita of Barcelona (Spain) to develop a digital tool that quantifies the health and economic impacts of mobility interventions, supporting evidence-based decision-making. EIT Urban mobility
• [New] Consumer demand could remain sluggish into 2027, which will continue to weigh on the outlook for players like Qualcomm and Skyworks. AOL
• [New] Amazon is reportedly aiming consumer AR glasses for late 2026-early 2027. Glass Almanac
• [New] Snap created a new smart-glasses unit and pushed consumer Specs plans for 2026. Glass Almanac
• [New] New York-based aviation cybersecurity company CYVIATION has uncovered a critical vulnerability within the PX4 drone operating system, a widely adopted platform powering numerous consumer and commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). eplaneai
• [New] Federal Reserve officials now project headline inflation to finish the year at 2.7%, higher than prior forecasts, while consumer inflation expectations from the New York Fed Survey remain elevated at 3.0% on a one-year-ahead basis. Nerd's Eye View | Kitces.com
• [New] On the consumer protection side, the FTC is expected to continue evaluating the conduct of technology companies from a consumer protection perspective, including in the areas of privacy and data security practices, auto-renewal and subscription billing, AI capabilities, and algorithmic systems. JD Supra
• [New] The US beer sector has shown strong consumer demand for direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping in a move that shows growth potential for the future of beer. The Drinks Business
• [New] Inflation data for March, expected this week, is outlook by Bloomberg to show producer prices returning to positive territory at 0.5%, while consumer inflation stabilizes around 1.2%. / China InvestMacro
• [New] CONSUMER PROTECTION, RISK GOVERNANCE, AND NBFIS Regulators worldwide are strengthening oversight aimed at protecting consumers, enhancing governance, and monitoring emerging threats from non-bank financial institutions. BusinessWorld Online
• [New] The AR/VR retail segment is expected to grow at 28-32% CAGR through 2033, supported by improving hardware capabilities, declining hardware costs, and expanding consumer familiarity with immersive technologies. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The Consumer Product Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) industry is anticipated to grow by a CAGR of 6.1% between 2026 and 2034. Facts and Factors

Last updated: 16 April 2026