World Data Lab

20/02/2026

New analysis powered by World Data Lab and featured on Voronoi by Visual Capitalist highlights a major shift:

Across India’s cities, millions of people are moving out of poverty and into higher spending brackets, reshaping urban demand, infrastructure needs, and consumer markets through 2035.

This isn’t just a poverty story.
It’s a consumer market story.

The rising percentage of Indian cities where 75%+ of the population have moved beyond "Vulnerable & Poor" spending levels, demonstrating urban prosperity…

19/02/2026

"America is on the edge of a generational turning point in beverage alcohol. One that is shaped by deep structural shifts in income, demographics, and spending power. The brands that act now will own the decade ahead."

Read our newest blog on the future of BevAl:

The Future on Tap report is the product of a collaboration between NIQ and World Data Lab—two global leaders combining the Full View of consumer behavior with the world’s most advanced predictive spending models. By uniting NIQ’s unmatched coverage with World Data Lab’s globally consistent, ...

18/02/2026

Our latest data shows that the highest sports spenders in the EU overwhelmingly prioritize participating over attending.

So what does this mean for brands, rights holders, and event organizers competing for consumer wallets?

We're unpacking the hidden economics of events, entertainment, and sports in our next World Consumer Outlook webinar:

📅 12th March 2026
🕙 10am EST | 4pm CET

Save your spot and register now: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rTDLg0

17/02/2026

The United States represents a third of the $800 billion global in-home alcohol market. We partnered with NielsenIQ to analyze the future of global alcohol spending:

→ Will alcohol rebound in the USA in 2026?
→ Why the US accounts for 1 in 3 dollars spent on alcohol globally
→ What 50% of US in-home alcohol spend is going toward
→ Why the real growth barrier isn't the price of alcohol — it's the price of everything else

The Future on Tap webinar is your briefing on where the market is heading and what that means for your business.

Register now: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rQ60N0

16/02/2026

Luxembourg and the Netherlands spend more than $200 per person attending sporting events every year, the highest in the EU.

But that's just the attendance side of the story. When you look at how consumers across Europe actually allocate their sports and entertainment budgets, the picture gets a lot more interesting, and a lot more actionable for brands, investors, and cities.

We're unpacking all of it in WCO #9: Winning on the Global Stage: Data across 183 countries. A $1T+ event economy. And what it all means for you.

Register free: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rNkyw0

12/02/2026

Data Talks | The Consumer is always King

What does it take to stay at one company for 30+ years, and still lead at the cutting edge of AI and analytics?

In our latest episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang speaks with Kirti Singh, Chief Insights Officer at Procter & Gamble.

His first day at P&G wasn’t in an office. It was in a consumer’s home in India. That moment shaped a global career across India, China, and the U.S. and a leadership philosophy built on one core belief:

The consumer is always king.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why P&G focuses on growing the market, not just market share
• How emerging markets are reshaping global growth
• What “Data Is Human” really means
• Why the future of insight is Human + AI

A powerful conversation on consumer obsession, global growth, and the evolution of analytics.

🎧 Listen now: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rHGCk0
https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rHGQv0

09/02/2026

WCO #9 | Winning on the Global Stage
The Hidden Economics of Sport & Entertainment

In 2026, sport, entertainment, and global events will collide at a scale the world has never seen before reshaping brands, cities, and consumer spending.

Join World Consumer Outlook #9 (WCO #9), a live World Data Lab webinar exploring why sport and entertainment are no longer marketing line items, but macro-economic forces.

📅 12 March 2026
🕓 4:00 PM CET
🌐 Live global webinar

We’ll explore:

Why the sports economy now exceeds $1T in connected spending
The hidden economics of media rights, sponsorship, tourism & participation
How FIFA World Cup 2026 and the Winter Olympic Games 2026 will reshape global demand
Where consumer spending will surge, and who will capture it

What this means for long-term brand strategy and investment

2026 will be the most competitive year in history for attention, sponsorship, and loyalty. This session will equip leaders with the data to compete — and win.

👉 Register here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rzmlQ0

06/02/2026

A recent article published by The Economist highlighted a counterintuitive insight drawn from World Data Lab data: despite widespread belief, global consumption inequality has fallen sharply over the past two decades.

In this blog, World Data Lab CEO Wolfgang Fengler reflects on what this shift really means, and why consumption tells a very different story about how people live, spend, and progress.

Read here:

A recent article published by The Economist highlighted a counterintuitive insight drawn from World Data Lab data: despite widespread belief, global consumption inequality has fallen sharply over the past two decades. Below, World Data Lab CEO Wolfgang Fengler reflects on what this shift really mean...

05/02/2026

The global recreation and culture market is entering a period of robust expansion, fuelled by rising incomes, demographic shifts, and the growing importance of leisure in household budgets. By 2030, global spending in this category is projected to rise from $4.6 trillion in 2025 to $5.9 trillion, reflecting the enduring demand for entertainment, sports, cultural activities, and digital leisure experiences.

Key Trends Shaping the Category
✓ Strong Global Growth: Recreation and culture spending is set to expand by more than $1.3 trillion over the next five years, driven by increased participation in sports, entertainment, and digital leisure across both mature and emerging markets.

✓ A Generational Shift Toward Wealthier Consumers: While Baby Boomers currently play a major role in driving category spending, Gen X will see a significant rise in influence by 2030. This shift signals a continued lean toward older, wealthier consumers who prioritise premium experiences, travel, and cultural engagement.

See the full picture: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rvrHl0

03/02/2026

The global economy may feel more unequal, but the data tells a more surprising story.

New analysis published by The Economist, using data from World Data Lab, shows that global consumption inequality has more than halved since 2000.

As spending patterns converge across rich and poor countries, the centre of global demand continues to shift.

On consumption, it’s mostly good news.

Rich and poor consumers are seeing their spending patterns converge

03/02/2026

We track total medical consumption, not just out-of-pocket spending

Baby Boomers will remain healthcare's biggest spenders until 2035, when Gen X takes over as the primary driver of medical spending.

Healthcare is one of the most resilient and steadily expanding sectors in the global economy. Understanding where, when, and by whom this growth will occur is critical for policy makers, providers, investors, and innovators. World Data Lab’s forward-looking models deliver a clear, city-level view of healthcare demand, helping stakeholders target resources and strategies for maximum impact.

Learn more https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rrnv00

02/02/2026

The growth and geographic spending of affluent consumers are reshaping the food and restaurant industry.

Learn more about what this means for your market at https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rp1_R0 and https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rp0-Q0.