A new behavioral study analyzing 25,000 real consumption submissions from 760 Gen-Z students reveals how economic pressure is reshaping purchasing decisions. Despite strong headline job growth, Gen-Z reports caution around rising costs and job security, prioritizing food, savings, and selective experiences while strategically trading between name brands and private labels.
ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- While recent federal job reports continue to show steady employment growth, Gen-Z consumers are signaling a different economic reality.
A new behavioral study from ECGO, based on 25,000 real-world consumption submissions from 760 Gen-Z students across 2024–2025, reveals that economic caution is shaping daily purchasing decisions; from what students buy to what ultimately lands in their recycling and waste bins.
Entry-Level Uncertainty Is Driving Caution
While recent federal job reports show steady employment growth, early-career hiring tells a more nuanced story. Analyses from Indeed Hiring Lab indicate that entry-level job postings have declined alongside broader hiring slowdowns, and payroll data from Gusto suggests new-graduate hiring remains below previous peaks. For Gen-Z, the labor market feels less expansive than the headlines imply.
The data reflects that tension:
- 56% report feeling negative about the economy
- 73% cite rising cost of living as their primary concern
- 43% worry about job security
- 91% say price directly influences their purchasing decisions
"Gen-Z is watching the labor market closely," said Nicole Toole, Founder and CEO of ECGO. "They see growth in the headlines, but they also feel tightening conditions at the entry level. Their behavior shows incredible preparation, not panic."
What's in the Basket Tells the Story
The 2026 State of Gen-Z Consumption Report moves beyond survey intentions to examine observed behavior, what young consumers are actually buying and discarding across food, beverage, and personal care categories.
The findings reveal:
- Strategic trade-offs between name brand and private label
- Higher switching behavior in food categories
- Stronger brand consolidation in personal care
- Habitual repetition in beverage purchases
In food purchases specifically, 76% remain name brand, while private label gains traction in staple categories such as pantry basics and baking ingredients — suggesting selective cost management rather than wholesale brand abandonment.
Gen-Z is trading down where functionality is standardized and trading up where quality, experience, or identity matter.
2026 Priorities: Stability, Savings, and Selective Joy
When asked about spending priorities for 2026, Gen-Z reported focusing on:
- Food & Groceries (80%)
- Saving & Investing (56%)
- Experiences (30%)
- Housing (29%)
"Gen-Z wants stability. They want a future they can count on. And they still want to have fun and create meaningful experiences with the people they love," said Toole. "This data shows they are prioritizing all three; security, progress, and connection — even under economic pressure."
A Behavioral Lens on Gen-Z
The report is based on:
- 760 Gen-Z participants
- 25,000 real consumption submissions
- Observed purchasing patterns from 2024–2025
Unlike traditional survey-only research, ECGO's dataset analyzes post-consumption behavior; offering a grounded perspective on how Gen-Z is navigating economic volatility in real time.
About the 2026 State of Gen-Z Consumption Report
The report provides brands, retailers, and policymakers with behavioral insights into how Gen-Z is adapting to economic pressure; revealing shifts in brand loyalty, category prioritization, and price sensitivity.
Full report available at: https://brands.ecgo.co/insights-trends/
About ECGO
ECGO is a behavioral data platform that analyzes real-world consumption patterns to provide actionable consumer intelligence.
Media Contact
Nicole Toole, ECGO, 1 4703370442, [email protected], https://brands.ecgo.co/
SOURCE ECGO
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