61% of Gen Z are worried about their finances/career. Even though they remain more confident about their finances and career prospects than older generations, their transition into adulthood makes them more affected by macroeconomic developments (eg inflation, risk of unemployment).
While Gen Z is still keen to spend money, a greater share of these consumers are managing their own household budgets, along with a growing tendency towards saving. Brands in essential categories can get them excited about activities like buying more own-label products by positioning savvy shopping as part of a cool lifestyle.
Although it is an essential part of their everyday life, Gen Z has a complicated relationship with the online world. This drives their longing for pre-digital times, reflected in a preference for nostalgic products. Brands across various sectors are well-placed to tap into Gen Z’s desire for nostalgia, for example by bringing back old technologies and retro toys.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Gen Z’s priorities for the next 12 months (eg spending time with family/friends, improving appearance), including a comparison with last year
- Gen Z’s biggest worries (eg financial security, social media usage)
- Gen Z’s current type of profession (2024 vs 2021) and behaviours related to career and education, including assessments regarding the value of practical experience and interest in online education programs
- Gen Z’s lifestyle attitudes & behaviours, including attitudes towards traditional life goals (eg marriage, having children) compared to 2022, and the desire to spend less time online
Gen Z’s transition into adulthood poses new challenges, like managing their own household budgets. Brands that position savvy shopping habits as a cool lifestyle and tap into Gen Z’s desire for nostalgia will resonate.
Dr. Jennifer Hendricks, Principal Analyst – Consumer Lifestyles, Germany
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Embrace Gen Z’s transition to adulthood
- Target older Gen Z with savvy shopping habits
- ALDI GünstiGang: saving with ‘ALDI Math’
- Employers: entice Gen Z with future job security claims
- Empower Gen Z to take care of their wellbeing
- Help Gen Z stay connected with hobbies that nurture wellbeing
- Take inspiration from Lululemon and host wellbeing events
- Keep helping Gen Z overcome appearance concerns
- Graph 1: Gen Z consumers for whom their appearance is one of their biggest worries, by age, 2024
- Concept ideas for unisex campaigns in the battle against unrealistic beauty standards
- Capitalise on Gen Z’s desire for nostalgia
- Address Gen Z’s longing for good old times
- How brands can tap into Gen Z’s desire for nostalgia
- Leverage the ‘Kidulting’ trend to target Gen Z
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CONSUMER
- Priorities for the next 12 months
- Health remains a top priority for Gen Z
- Graph 2: Gen Z’s priorities for the next 12 months, 2024
- Improving their appearance is a key driver in Gen Z’s health aspirations
- Take inspiration from Dove’s battle against the Selfie Era
- Discover new ways to promote awareness of mental health
- Support Gen Z in nurturing social connections for improved wellbeing
- Learn from Tecate and help Gen Z meet loved ones in the real world
- Biggest worries
- Personal finances and career trump all other worries…
- Graph 3: biggest worries of Gen Z, 2025
- …signalling Gen Z’s transition from the comfort of childhood to adulthood
- Gen Z has many worries…
- Graph 4: repertoire of consumers’ biggest worries, by generation, 2024
- …which is likely linked to their limited life experience
- Support Gen Z’s money management by demonstrating the value of product longevity
- Take inspiration from international examples of brands championing BIFL
- Resilience is key to coping with personal safety issues
- Gen Z at work
- Gen Z continues to pursue careers in preferred professions…
- Graph 5: Gen Z’s current type of profession, 2024 vs 2021
- …with a risk to bypass the needs of the labour market
- Career worries are prevalent – despite persistent job confidence
- Gen Z present themselves as loyal employees…
- Graph 6: Gen Z behaviours related to career and education, 2024
- …but the reality looks different
- Gen Z recognises the value of practical experience in an academised educational landscape
- Explore online education to retain young talent
- Capitalise on Gen Z’s entrepreneurial spirit
- Intrapreneurship practices to draw inspiration from
- Lifestyle attitudes & behaviours
- Gen Z appreciates friends with diverse backgrounds
- Two in three Gen Zers believe their purchase decisions can make a difference…
- Graph 7: Gen Z behaviours related to spending, 2024
- … but this is not necessarily reflected in their actual behaviour
- Gen Z shows a tendency towards supporting small businesses
- Graph 8: Gen Z consumers who shop with small businesses where possible, by age, 2024
- Small businesses: leverage the power of micro influencers to engage with Gen Z
- Gen Z shows signs of digital fatigue…
- Graph 9: Gen Z behaviours related to social media, 2024
- …driven by concerns of dependency and exposure to misinformation
- molo app breaks new ground in promoting local news and events
- Digital media is a barrier to productivity
- Gen Z remains divided in their opinion on traditional life goals
- Graph 10: Gen Z attitudes towards marriage and having children, 2024
- Graph 11: Gen Z attitudes towards marriage and having children, 2022
- Delaying traditional life goals will maintain discretionary spending for longer
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MARKET DRIVERS
- Life stage and employment
- Gen Z is a comparatively small generation
- Graph 12: population, by generation, 2020-30
- A generation in transition
- Graph 13: age distribution of Gen Z, 2025
- More than three quarters of Gen Z are part of the workforce…
- Graph 14: working status of Gen Z, 2021-24
- …making them vulnerable to disruptions in the labour market
- Graph 15: unemployment rate, original value, 2021-24
- Gen Z continues the trend of choosing to focus on family later in life
- Graph 16: average age at first marriage, by age groups, 2022 vs 2002
- Graph 17: average age of parents at first birth of mother, 2014-23
- Financial situation and spending patterns
- Most Gen Z feel positive about their finances…
- Graph 18: financial situation, by generation, 2025
- …as they continue to be sheltered from some inflation-related issues
- Graph 19: selected household and lifestyle issues faced in the last two months, by generation, 2025
- Be aware of Gen Z’s growing tendency towards saving
- Gen Z and Younger Millennials are most optimistic about their spending budgets
- Graph 20: consumers who expect to have more money to spend on non-essentials in 2025 compared to 2024, by generation, 2024
- Social media
- Gen Zers are heavy social media users
- Graph 21: social media platforms regularly used by Gen Z, 2024
- Social media is part of Gen Z’s daily habits
- Graph 22: consumers who typically use social media while…, by generation, 2023
- Polycrisis
- The polycrisis is taking its toll on Gen Z
- Major crises Gen Z has experienced so far
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APPENDIX
- Abbreviations and generations
- Abbreviations
- Generations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
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