Business / Consumer Goods
Value Seeking Consumer Trends in Retail
Research identifies nearly 40% of U.S. consumers and about 50% globally as Value Seekers, indicating a shift in value perception across income levels. Value Seekers prioritize factors such as quality, convenience, and simplicity, challenging the traditional view that value is synonymous with low cost.
Source material: Rethinking value beyond price | Retail and Consumer Products Outlooks 2026 | Deloitte Insights
Summary
Research identifies nearly 40% of U.S. consumers and about 50% globally as Value Seekers, indicating a shift in value perception across income levels. Value Seekers prioritize factors such as quality, convenience, and simplicity, challenging the traditional view that value is synonymous with low cost.
A notable 25% of high-income households earning over $200K are classified as Value Seekers, indicating that this trend is not confined to lower-income groups. The more-value-for-price framework shows that brands can effectively compete across price tiers by focusing on non-price factors like quality, trust, and customer experience.
Key drivers of perceived value include quality, trust, and brand attitude, with higher-priced brands needing to build trust to attract consumers, especially in sectors like grocery, automotive, and hospitality.
In grocery retail, a swift checkout process and helpful staff enhance the shopping experience, contributing to perceived value beyond just pricing. Luxury hotels are gaining an edge over budget options by providing superior service and prime locations, illustrating that exceptional customer experiences can create value even at higher price points.
Perspectives
Value Seekers
- Prioritize quality, trust, and customer experience over price
- Include a significant portion of high-income households, challenging stereotypes
Traditional View
- Value is often equated with low cost, limiting understanding of consumer behavior
- Assumes that economic factors do not influence consumer perceptions of value
Neutral / Shared
- Non-price factors are increasingly important across various sectors
- Brands recognized for value demonstrate higher consumer loyalty
Metrics
40%
U.S. consumers identified as Value Seekers
This indicates a significant portion of the market prioritizes value beyond price
about four and 10 consumers in the US are considered Value Seeking
25%
high-income households classified as Value Seekers
one in four households making over 200K are Value Seekers
35%
high-income group globally identified as Value Seekers
35% of that high-income group are also Value Seekers
2%
household share shift to more value for price players in grocery
Indicates a significant consumer trend towards brands perceived as offering more value
it was a 2% share shift over that same three year period
Key entities
Key developments
Phase 1
The research identifies nearly 40% of U.S. consumers and about 50% globally as Value Seekers, indicating a shift in value perception across income levels.
- Nearly 40% of U.S. consumers and about 50% globally are identified as Value Seekers, reflecting a shift in how value is perceived across different income levels
- Value Seekers prioritize factors such as quality, convenience, and simplicity, challenging the traditional view that value is synonymous with low cost
- A notable 25% of high-income households earning over $200K are classified as Value Seekers, indicating that this trend is not confined to lower-income groups
- The more-value-for-price framework shows that brands can effectively compete across price tiers by focusing on non-price factors like quality, trust, and customer experience
- Key drivers of perceived value include quality, trust, and brand attitude, with higher-priced brands needing to build trust to attract consumers, especially in sectors like grocery, automotive, and hospitality
Phase 2
The evolving definition of value among consumers emphasizes non-price factors such as quality, trust, and customer experience. This shift is particularly evident across various sectors, including grocery, automotive, and hospitality.
- Non-price factors such as checkout speed, service quality, and trust are crucial in shaping consumer perceptions of value in the grocery, hotel, and automotive sectors
- In grocery retail, a swift checkout process and helpful staff enhance the shopping experience, contributing to perceived value beyond just pricing
- Luxury hotels are gaining an edge over budget options by providing superior service and prime locations, illustrating that exceptional customer experiences can create value even at higher price points
- In the automotive sector, consumer trust in service departments allows brands to command higher prices, as customers are willing to pay more for reliable and friendly service
- Brands recognized as offering more value for price demonstrate higher net purchase intent and shifts in market share, indicating a strong link between perceived value and consumer loyalty