Capgemini has released its 2026 Consumer Report, detailing how consumer value has now shifted toward fairness, transparency, and emotional connection.
The technology service provider has revealed that consumers now prioritize fairness and transparency, with 71% of respondents agreeing they would switch brands if pack sizes or quality of products were decreased without prior communication.
Furthermore, the report highlights how AI tools have become significantly more influential in online shopping; however, consumers still expect transparency when AI comes into play.
The report, which surveyed 12,000 consumers, uncovers that even as technology grows in the retail space, human interaction remains essential to its success.
Fairness and Transparency
Despite low pricing still driving significant revenue, fairness and transparency are also key to defining value for a brand.
This comes with clear communication; if one brand can clearly advertise its products with promotional and valuable deals, customers are keen to switch their loyalty to brands that can provide this.
In fact, 74% of consumers revealed they would switch brands if they had found lower prices elsewhere, as well as 61% agreeing that promotional bundles that combine products with higher value services are worth purchasing. These can include guaranteed faster deliveries, or product benefits that assure cleanliness, health, or environmental advantages.
Priyanka Bhargav, Head of Insights and Brand Strategy at Flipkart, argues that consumers are more likely to spend more for free delivery promotions, discounts, and bundles if brands can advertise these extras as valuable:
“These customers are willing to pay a little extra for faster delivery, signaling that convenience and immediacy are becoming universal expectations.”
Low pricing cannot get the results on its own, brands that can provide meaningful experiences with clear transparency to their consumers will set the expectations in the industry.
However, consumers are still willing to purchase products that are more expensive, as the report notes an increase in customer assessments, not just product, quality, and price, but also the brand itself.
If a brand can prove it holds itself to reliable, transparent, and ethical standards, they are more likely to see an increase in consumer loyalty.
Transparency is more than clear communication, it influences trust and loyalty by demonstrating how it puts customers first.
Brand Connection
Consumers are also willing to stay with a brand if their loyalty is already established, usually if there’s a previous level of trust and admiration, especially if it’s for both parties.
For example, a consumer who works or has previously worked with a brand may stay loyal when making purchasing decisions as a personal connection has previously been established.
If a brand is already well-established, with high-end luxury shops such as Chanel or Gucci, this can foster brand loyalty without the need for promotional bundles, but having already positioned itself as a stereotypical desired brand.
Customers are unlikely to move to a non-luxury brand during price increases or product changes as this comes with the brand expectations, consumers of high-retail brands are likely to remain loyal as customers remain trusting in their company decisions.
This is also true of child-centered brands, where parents are more likely to remain loyal to a brand during price increases or product changes if their child is showing positive signs with a brand compared to another.
In regard to pricing, customers may also choose to stay with a brand long-term if it offers customized benefits and rewards for remaining loyal.
In the report, 70% of consumers agreed that personalized coupons based on their purchase history was a good practice, as well as 68% of consumers believed that member-only pricing for loyalty program subscribers was a good idea.
These practices provide emotional brand connection, if consumers believe they are being offered reduced prices to help with their everyday purchases, they are more likely to stay.
AI Tools in Shopping
AI tools are becoming a staple of online shopping services, no longer in experimentation but readily accessible to customers throughout their shopping journey.
The report reveals that 2025 saw a quarter of respondents having used Gen AI shopping tools to enhance their decision-making, as well as over 73% of consumers having used a chatbot for query resolution at least once.
These tools provide customers with out-of-hours support, product availability, and promotions for discounted purchases.
These AI bots can also be used to continue customer engagement even after a purchase is made, with 61% of consumers having received personalized follow-ups and 54% satisfied with the results, featuring product instructions, tips, and recommendations.
By offering post-purchase support, brands can boost their customer engagement and increase future purchases.
However, almost half of the respondents who use chatbots are not satisfied with the experience, as many retail bots still lack the ability to deliver human-level capabilities, or even transfer consumers to a human support agent.
Friction AI bot experiences can taint a consumer’s impression of a brand, increasing disengagement and disappointment.
This has led to only 8% of respondents agreeing they would pay a monthly fee for a chatbots or AI assistant to make automatic purchases on their behalf, highlighting how AI bots still have a long way to go before building absolute customer trust.
Currently, 76% of consumers want to set boundaries for these digital assistants; by ensuring customer control around preferences, privacy, data management, and shopping experiences, AI can enhance its relevance in the industry if the customer is confident in the bot’s actions.
By first introducing clear transparency around data governance, compliance and security measures, brands can then introduce customers to AI assistant perks, personalizations, and rewards.
