2026 presents an opportunity for organisations unlike any we have seen in the 5 years studying consumer experience trends. Despite a global economic and political climate that is teeming with uncertainty, and ongoing technological transformation, people are remarkably optimistic and open to change. 

Which means there is space for businesses to act – and a chance for truly customer-centric organisations to make an impact in 2026.

But what should businesses prioritise? Where? And how? We spoke to 20,000 consumers, and four themes became clear. We’ll walk you through the trends and outline how to put these insights into practice so you keep your customers coming back in 2026.