The report draws on data from hundreds of brands and retailers. It is also based on a survey conducted in June 2026 of more than 4,500 consumers living in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.

Loyalty is no longer a given

Consumers are willing to switch brands. In France, 57% of survey respondents adopted a new product they would not have chosen a year earlier. This trend affects 60% of perfume users, for example.

The right influence

Recommendations from friends and family are the primary factor guiding choices (39%). Consumers also visit stores to try products for themselves (37%), check online reviews (34%), use search engines (27%), and follow content creators (25%).

AI: the new beauty advisor

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of the shopping journey. In France, 36% of consumers use it. Among them, 57% acknowledge that its recommendations influence their decisions. Usage goes even further elsewhere. Globally, 40% of consumers say they’re willing to let an AI assistant automatically recommend everyday products to them.

For brands, the challenge is to enhance their product listings to remain visible in searches powered by this new technology.

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