5 charts on Gen Z’s shopping habits across beauty, apparel, and more

Gen Z spends significantly on beauty products online while favoring in-store shopping for apparel. For groceries, this tech-savvy generation relies heavily on search engines and social media to discover new products. Additionally, the trend toward low- and no-alcohol beverages is gaining momentum, as many Gen Zers embrace initiatives like Dry January.

Here are five charts on how Gen Z is shopping across these categories.

1. Gen Zers spend big on beauty online

Nearly a third (32.0%) of US Gen Z digital beauty shoppers spent between $101 and $500 on beauty products online in the last year, while about a quarter (24.8%) spent between $501 and $1,000, according to our December 2023 survey. In addition, 62.8% of Gen Zers shop online for beauty products at least once a month, and 21.2% shop once a week or more.

However, beauty brands should not abandon physical retail. US Gen Z beauty shoppers are as likely to discover new brands or products in-store as on social media, according to another one of our surveys conducted in November 2023.

2. Gen Z is most likely to find new clothes in-store

Some 42.0% of US Gen Zers discovered their most recent clothing purchases while browsing in-store, according to our November 2023 survey. Brand websites/apps and social media also play a major role in how Gen Zers discover clothing.

Across US adults of all ages, 71% prefer to take their time while shopping for clothes and shoes online and 66% prefer to take their time in-store, according to a November 2023 survey by Kearney. Apparel brands should emphasize discovery, using personalization and curation to make the experience more engaging.

3. But Gen Z is more likely to find new grocery products through search

Gen Z is more likely to find new grocery products via search engine, or by searching a grocery site or app, than on the store shelf, according to our May 2023 survey of US Gen Zers.

Younger generations are also more likely to discover new grocery products via social media. Nearly 1 in 3 (29%) US consumers cited TikTok as the social platform where they most often discover consumer packaged goods (CPG) products, followed by Instagram (23%), according to a February 2023 survey from Tinuiti.

4. Gen Z is not as into drive-thrus as previous generations

Gen Z consumers ages 18 to 24 are less likely to order fast food via drive-thru than any other generation, according to a May 2023 survey from CivicScience. Still, it’s the most popular method among the demographic, followed by ordering online/picking up in person and ordering via food delivery app.

However, nearly a quarter (23%) of US consumers of all ages reported that they no longer order delivery to avoid the fees, according to Revenue Management Solutions’ Dining Dynamics in 2024 report. To win consumers back, delivery companies may need to reduce fees or offer extra perks like discounts or priority delivery.

5. Gen Z is driving the low- and no-alcohol trend

Three-quarters of US Gen Z consumers ages 21 to 24 said they were somewhat to very likely to participate in Dry January, according to a December 2023 survey by CivicScience. In fact, over a quarter (27%) of Gen Z consumers ages 21 to 24 say they never drink alcoholic beverages, according to a July 2023 CivicScience survey.

Non-alcoholic beverage brands like Athletic Brewing Co. and Seedlip have emerged recently to appeal to consumers looking to cut back on alcohol, and legacy producers have joined in, introducing low or no-alcohol products.

This was originally featured in the Retail Daily newsletter. For more retail insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.