World Data Lab

25/03/2026

EBANX has just published a Beyond Borders chapter, "The Consumer Profile", written alongside World Data Lab's Klea Ibrahimi and Ana Sampaio, on how demographics, income structure and mobile adoption are redefining online consumption.

Check it out here:

Beyond Borders 2026 is EBANX’s annual report on payment trends, consumer behavior and digital commerce across emerging markets.

25/03/2026

World Data Lab is proud to participate in the Northeast Decision Sciences Institute 55th Annual Conference (April 9–10), where Dr. Reshma Sheoraj and Juan Caballero will be presenting our latest demographic and consumer spending insights.

We're excited to explore how our datasets can support research and decision-making in universities, and to connect with the academic community.

24/03/2026

The world is split when it comes to spending inequality. European economies tend to be the most equal, whereas Sub-Saharan and Latin American economies tend to be the least. The US ranks midpack globally, tilting towards more unequal than other G7 economies.

The implications for brands are that, when it comes to country-level opportunities, who spends the most tends to follow a regional trend. The exception to this is Asian economies, whose spending inequality varies more significantly.

Explore the dataset at https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sVQql0

23/03/2026

Over the past 6 months, economic and financial commentators have noted the appearance of a K-shaped economy in the US, in which spending is growing in the hands of a rich few but shrinking or stagnant among lower-income consumers.

This visual highlights that spending divergence between the top 1% or top 10% versus the bottom 50% of domestic spenders is profoundly a US trend amongst G7 nations. The US has, in fact, been an outlier in terms of spending inequality amongst developed countries since 2005.

As the US is the world’s richest economy, and is responsible for 1/3 of total global consumption, the implications are that global spending power is becoming increasingly concentrated in the hands of a small group of wealthy Americans.

Explore the data at https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sScMh0

20/03/2026

How big is the sport and entertainment market? And where is it located?

Download our full deck at https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sQBfb0

https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sQzXN0

19/03/2026

The US accounts for $388 billion in sports spending in 2026 — more than the next 25 countries combined.

Germany comes in second at $44B, followed by the UK and Japan at $42B each.

We break down the full global picture in our latest World Consumer Outlook report.

Deck available here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sNXHJ0

18/03/2026

Just two US cities (New York and Los Angeles) have greater combined consumer spending than all 40+ European capital cities combined in 2026.

See the full dataset on Visual Capitalist: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sLFrt0

17/03/2026

56% of consumer spending growth over the next 5 years will be driven by older age groups.

As populations age across Europe, North America, and East Asia, businesses that ignore this demographic are leaving real growth on the table. The brands, services, and products built for tomorrow's economy will need to speak to a generation that is wealthier, more active, and more digitally engaged than any older cohort before it.

At World Data Lab, we track the data behind these shifts. Explore our data and forecasts → https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sJtDz0

16/03/2026

In this episode of Data Talks, World Data Lab CEO Wolfgang Fengler speaks with co-founder and global middle class expert Homi Kharas about new research that challenges one of the most widely discussed narratives in economics today.

Featured prominently in The Economist, World Data Lab’s latest analysis examines inequality through the lens of consumption rather than wealth. By comparing how much the bottom 50% of the global population consumes relative to the top 10%, the data reveals a surprising trend: global inequality in consumption is improving, largely driven by rapid economic growth in countries such as India, China, Indonesia, and across Southeast Asia.

Watch the full episode here https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sGh7T0, or listen on Spotify.

In this episode of Data Talks, World Data Lab CEO Wolfgang Fengler speaks with co-founder and global middle class expert Homi Kharas about new research that ...

13/03/2026

Millennials spend more on recreation & entertainment than any other generation.

5.2% of their wallet. $450 per capita — compared to $346 for Gen Z and $323 for Gen X.

Yesterday we unpacked what this means for brands, investors, and cities competing for consumer attention in sports & entertainment.

Missed it? You can download the full deck below: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0szThM0

12/03/2026

Millennials exercise more than Gen Z, 0.72 hours daily vs 0.66 for Gen Z. Meanwhile, both generations watch significantly less TV than Gen X and Boomers.

Active living is cutting across generations. It's where consumer time and money are going.

We're unpacking exactly what this means for brands and investors — today, 11am EST | 4pm CET.

Last chance to register 👇
https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0szMJ10

11/03/2026

Americans are spending more on staying active than on cable TV.

For the first time, membership clubs & participant sports centers have overtaken cable, satellite & live TV in annual consumer spending. It's a real shift in how Americans choose to spend their leisure dollars, away from passive consumption and toward active participation.

The old assumptions about where entertainment money goes no longer hold. We're unpacking the hidden economics of sports & entertainment, across 183 countries, at our webinar tomorrow.

Where is the real money moving? Register below to find out.

👉 https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sxC4r0