Shoppers want value. They also want health, sustainability and great experiences. IGD covered all of that beautifully in their trend summary.
But there’s one thing that sits underneath every single 2026 trend.
Category clarity
The ability to show up in a way that makes buyers take notice, shoppers make quick decisions, and your products feel like the obvious choice in the aisle.
And that matters more than ever this year.
Because most suppliers still can’t explain their category role in one clean sentence.
Shoppers aren’t confused – brands are
When shoppers say they want value, they’re actually saying:
“I want to understand why this product deserves my money.”
When they talk about health, what they mean is:
“Make it easy for me to pick the better option.”
When they want sustainability, they’re asking:
“Can you show me the impact without making me decode a thesis?”
All of these have one thing in common:
clarity makes everything easier.
If your range, messaging or pricing ladder is foggy, shoppers won’t be able to see it either.
Buyers want faster decisions too
They don’t have tome to wade through unclear positioning or complicated presentations and data.
They want to know:
- what category problem do you solve
- how you add value
- what makes you commercially sound
- where you fit the shopper mission
- how you fit with the rest of the fixture
- what success looks like when they list you
If you can’t articulate that clearly, you’re already behind.
Clarity is the commercial advantage.
Category clarity makes every trend easier
Value?
A clear category role strengthens your price position.
Experiences?
Clarity makes your brand story coherent across every touch point
Sustainability?
It stops you shouting everything and focusing on nothing.
Health?
It helps you talk benefits without overclaiming and crossing lines.
Category clarity turns trends from “noise” into “useful”.
2026 belongs to the brands who tell the clearest category story
Not the ones with the biggest budgets or the loudest campaigns.
The ones who make the buyer’s job easier, help shoppers choose faster, and who look confident because they are.
Clarity build momentum. And momentum lights up your listing potential.
If you want help tightening your story and making sure it appeals to buyers, I support brands with category insight and mentoring to get that clarity.
