"Modern forces are reshaping religious identity in the US. Rather than rejecting faith, younger generations are personalizing it, blending traditional foundations with individual spiritual beliefs and practices."
Lisa Dubina, Associate Director, Culture & Identity
Even as church attendance has declined for decades, faith remains deeply embedded in American identity. More than three quarters of Americans still claim a religious identity, revealing a shift not away from belief, but toward personalization – especially among Gen Z. Rather than adhering strictly to institutional religion, many consumers are blending traditional faith with individualized and/or “new age” spiritual practices. This customization is not diluting devotion; in many cases, it is intensifying it.
For roughly half of religious and spiritually affiliated consumers, faith is a core driver of daily decisions, including how and where they spend. Religion and spirituality often shape moral frameworks that guide socially conscious, purpose-driven consumption. While values-based shopping is not new, brands must recognize that for many consumers those values are explicitly informed by religious teachings and spiritual beliefs.
The opportunity for brands lies in meeting consumers where belief is personal, diverse and deeply felt. Flexible, values-aligned offerings, such as faith-conscious beauty or AI-guided mindfulness tools, will allow brands to serve a broad spectrum of spiritual identities without prescribing belief. Done well, this can unlock meaningful loyalty. Done poorly, it can trigger swift backlash in a highly sensitive, social-media-driven environment. Respect, authenticity and cultural fluency are essential for brands navigating this space.
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions for its religious and spiritual groups.
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
Pay via credit card or invoice (net 30 payment terms)
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook available on our platform
Discount automatically applied in basket
If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.
Contact us
At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.
When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.
The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.
We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.
By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.
For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.
If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.
Contact us
