NUMERATOR GENERATIONS HUB
Uncover generational shopping trends.
Explore shopper insights across Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers including their market size, distinct shopping behaviors, and shifting consumer expectations. Go deeper with nuanced breakdowns that reveal meaningful differences within each generation, so you can strategize, target, and resonate with greater precision.
What are the spending trends by generation?
A third of consumer spending now comes from adult Gen Z and Millennials.
Boomers and Gen X still lead U.S. CPG, General Merchandise, and QSR spending but the balance is shifting.
Younger households are driving the gains. Millennials and adult Gen Z now command 32% of spend, an 8-point increase since 2020. Gen Z’s share has more than doubled—from 2.6% in 2020 to 6.1% in 2025—while Millennials have steadily climbed to 26.1%, representing over one in four spending dollars.
Gen X’s share has stayed steady at about 34%, but Boomers+ have seen a nearly 10-point drop since 2020, falling to 33.7% today.
As the generational mix of spending power evolves, so do the expectations that shape how and where consumers engage. Brands that adapt with precise, generation-specific strategies, grounded in what drives each group’s choices, will be positioned to win both today’s dollars and tomorrow’s loyalty.
Where are different generations shopping at now?
Consumer dollars are moving to different channels in CPG and General Merchandise.
Generational behavior is reshaping where consumers shop, but not always in expected ways. While Gen Z is digitally native, their CPG spending still leans in-store, especially toward value-driven formats like club and convenience. Club saw the strongest share growth across generations, led by Gen Z (+1.1 pts), while convenience posted consistent gains, including among Boomers. Meanwhile, traditional mass and drug channels declined across most age groups, suggesting a broader trend.
Online growth in CPG was modest and mostly Millennial-led, with small gains in mass and pureplay channels.
In contrast, general merchandise tells a more digital story: pureplay online channels gained across all generations, with Gen Z and Boomers each up 1.2 points—challenging assumptions that eCommerce growth is driven only by the young.
Life stage and category mission are also increasingly shaping channel choices. Younger shoppers showed movement toward home improvement, auto, and club retailers, while older shoppers drove growth in online general merchandise. Department stores and electronics—both in-store and online—lost share among younger generations, signaling a potential mismatch with their evolving expectations.
Select Your Industry:
How does each generation percieve themselves?
Each generation represents a theme of change, resilience and self-awareness.
When asked to describe their own generation in a single word, Gen Z paints a picture that’s both bold and conflicted. Words like “Technology,” “Innovative,” and “Different” speak to their digital fluency and cultural influence. Yet just as prominent are terms like “Crazy,” “Entitled,” and “Lazy”—a mix of self-reflection and perceived stereotype. Gen Z has the weakest generational alignment, with only 50% saying they strongly or somewhat identify with their cohort. This suggests a generation still shaping its own narrative amid rapid societal change and public scrutiny.
Millennials, too, reflect a complicated self-image. The most frequent descriptors include “Entitled,” “Lazy,” and “Resilient,” along with “Adapt,” “Cool,” and “Hardworking.” This generation appears to internalize criticism while simultaneously pushing back with traits tied to flexibility and determination. With 65% identifying with their generational label, Millennials show a desire to reclaim their own story—one grounded in transition, economic challenge, and cultural evolution.
Gen X, on the other hand, reveals a more confident and cohesive generational identity. Words like “Independent,” “Resilient,” “Strong,” and “Tough” dominate their self-view. This group embraces their reputation as self-reliant and under-the-radar. Notably, 75% of Gen Xers identify with their generation, reinforcing their image as the quiet backbone of modern culture—adaptable, resourceful, and steady in a world of change.
Baby Boomers round out the generational story with high self-regard and a deep sense of purpose. Their word cloud is filled with terms like “Great,” “Worker,” “Respect,” and “Responsible.” Boomers see themselves as contributors to society’s foundation, with 78% identifying with their generation—the highest of all cohorts. For them, identity is less about adaptation and more about legacy, earned wisdom, and the value of hard work over time.
Understand the consumer across generations through our deep dives.
Gen Alpha
Anticipating
the Next Generation
See how Gen Alpha will shape the future of consumer buying behavior.
Gen Z
Rising Fast,
Spending Big
Dive deep into the ESG issues, social media and retailers they care about.
Millennials
Building the
Next Generation
Learn how Millennials are starting up their families and influencing Gen Alpha.
Gen X
Becoming Anchors
of Spend
As Gen X becomes empty nesters, uncover how they take control of the market.
Boomers
Resilient
Purchasing
Find out how Boomers are spending their golden years across categories and brands.
Want to see how your brand stacks up across generations?
Over 41M+ Gen Z trips captured with digital and in-store methods.
150K static panelists to discover historical and in-depth shopping behaviors across 44K tracked retailers.
500K+ purchase-verfied panelists to survey based on purchasing behaviors and understand the why behind the buy.
Numerator uncovers your consumer to inspire you for growth. Reach out to find out how.