Why is Generation Alpha becoming the next big consumer power, what do they value, and how can brands win their loyalty early?
Born between 2010 and 2024, Generation Alpha is already rewriting demographic and market forecasts. As of early 2025, more than 2.1 billion Alphas live across the globe, making up 24% of the world’s population — the largest generational share in history. With 2.6 million births every week, this cohort will continue to reshape the consumer and labour markets for decades.
By 2035, Gen Alpha will still account for 22% of the population, while the next cohort, Generation Beta, will rise to 16%. For investors and business leaders, this marks the beginning of a long-term shift in consumer behaviour, market outlook, and even the structure of future capitalism. Ukrainian business consultants at Kyiv Consulting reveal the most interesting questions and insights about Gen Alpha’s behaviour, marketing trends, and their appetite for the future.
Generation Alpha are true digital natives, born into a world of rapid technological evolution. The innovations that shaped their early years include TikTok, Siri, GoPro HERO3, 3D printing, Google Glass, Apple Watch, Tesla Powerwall, Fortnite, smart speakers, AirPods, 5G, biometric technology, quantum computing, ChatGPT, as well as autonomous vehicles and multimodal AI.
Their first brand interactions occur through apps and algorithms rather than traditional advertising. As a result, they expect instant personalisation, on-demand experiences, and adaptive content that mirrors their preferences in real time.
They are also the first post-COVID generation, shaped by both social restrictions and hyperconnectivity. While their parents enjoyed years of economic optimism, Gen Alpha are growing up amid economic volatility, inflation, and housing unaffordability. These realities encourage them to value saving, stability, and financial literacy more than previous generations.
This growing awareness of economic challenges directly influences how they perceive brands and products. By the 2040s, Gen Alpha will emerge as one of the largest global consumer groups, transforming industries such as technology, fashion, mobility, and food services. Their influence starts early, as household decision-makers, but their purchasing power will reach full maturity in adulthood, reshaping how brands design, communicate, and compete in the markets of the future.
Gen Alpha’s economic impact is already visible. By the end of 2024, global spending on this cohort was projected at USD 5.4 trillion, increasing by USD 10 billion annually. Purchases made by Alphas or under their influence have already reached USD 1 trillion — about 1.5% of the global consumer economy.
By 2029, their direct spending will exceed USD 1.7 trillion, solidifying their role as a key driver of global growth. Their increasing purchasing influence makes them a crucial audience for market research, consumer trend analysis, and investment forecasting.
Organisations that fail to understand and engage with this generation risk losing competitiveness in the markets of tomorrow. Understanding their footprint also reveals how economic expectations and ethics will shape brand strategies in the next decade. This brings us to the values driving Gen Alpha’s decisions.
CHALLENGES
For Generation Alpha, climate change is not an abstract issue but a lived experience. They are growing up in an era of wildfires, floods, and heatwaves up to seven times more frequent than those faced by people born in 1960. As a result, sustainability must become a core business value rather than an optional add-on. Greenwashing will not pass unnoticed, and Alphas demand authenticity, climate transparency, and mission-driven brands. What will Gen Alpha prioritise when making choices?
01
Designed for reuse, repair, and sustainability instead of replacement.
02
Data, sourcing, and ethics must be visible and verifiable to earn their trust.
03
Brand messaging should demonstrate measurable environmental commitment rather than vague aspiration.
As sustainability becomes intertwined with innovation, technology will also play a vital role in defining how Alphas engage with brands.
TRENDS
Gen Alpha’s expectations for technology, ethics, and user experience are unlike any generation before them. They expect intuitive technology, privacy-first design, and seamless digital experiences that adapt across devices and realities, from smartphones to augmented environments. For brands, this means every product, platform, and campaign must align with digital ethics and user empowerment.
In numbers, their behaviour illustrates a clear demand for progress and accountability:
01
63% of Gen Alpha value having the latest technology, compared with 31% of Gen Z, meaning intuitive, evolving solutions from brands are a must.
02
59% of 8-17-year-olds are aware of online algorithms and want privacy-first design built into every touchpoint, alongside a clear stance on ethics, equity, and inclusion.
03
Nearly half of young users have used AI tools for fun, learning, or school. Seamless experiences should therefore meet them wherever they are — on screens, in stores, or within augmented environments.
The next question is how these expectations influence their approach to work, entrepreneurship, and independence.
If Millennials pioneered freelancing and Gen Z embraced the creator economy, Generation Alpha are set to become the most entrepreneurial cohort yet. Around three in four aspire to be their own boss or run a side hustle, and nearly eight in ten have already earned money within the past year. Many are turning to digital tools to make this possible, using technology to support income generation — from selling and creating online content to managing small digital ventures.
Looking ahead, AI, virtual reality, and smart assistants are seen by Gen Alpha as essential elements of their future careers, shaping how they work, learn, and innovate. This entrepreneurial mindset demands a new approach from brands and service providers alike.
To engage this generation effectively, brands should empower earning rather than just spending. Developing tools and services that support young entrepreneurship, such as starter stores, creator kits, and micro-commerce solutions, helps position brands as enablers of independence.
Design for frictionless user experiences. Gen Alpha’s ideal world is automated, fast, and seamless, where biometric authentication, instant checkout, and tokenised payments become standard. Finally, promote skills over status by highlighting growth, learning, and empowerment above traditional career paths.
As these values evolve, brands must also learn to speak to both Alphas and their parents, who remain key decision-makers for now.
MESSAGING
In the food & beverage industry, 77% of Generation Alpha want to help pick food, and 61% influence family meals. In automotive, 65% help shortlist cars, with 61% claiming the final say. In beauty, one in three already own more than three beauty products, and over 70% want to teach skincare routines to their parents.
For brands, this dynamic calls for dual-layered marketing: communicating trust, safety, and quality to parents while resonating with the values, visuals, and aspirations of Alphas. Nostalgia often becomes a bridge, as parents’ favourite brands may gain early loyalty from their children.
Across all sectors, Gen Alpha’s preferences reveal a consistent pattern — a pursuit of authenticity, creativity, and convenience rather than simple ownership.
01
Although sustainable habits remain limited, awareness is growing. As affordability and accessibility improve, sustainable food choices are expected to follow.
02
Alphas prefer customisation over cost-saving and luxury over standardisation. Their purchasing decisions reflect identity rather than practicality.
03
The rise of masstige products (those blending premium qualities with mass-market accessibility) dominates the market. Alphas value expressive, creative beauty experiences online, often producing Get Ready With Me content and prioritising digital appearance as much as real-life style.
Outside these industries, one cultural driver stands out as central to their identity: gaming.
Gaming remains a defining creative outlet for Generation Alpha, a space for experimentation, socialisation, and self-expression. Popular titles such as Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnite dominate their screen time. For Alphas, gaming is more than entertainment; it is a platform for world-building, collaboration, and digital creativity. These virtual spaces reflect their balance between being tech-empowered yet intentionally tech-independent, as many take regular breaks from devices despite their digital fluency.
When it comes to money and financial behaviour, Gen Alpha is already shaping the future of digital finance. Their trust lies in digital wallets and fintech brands such as PayPal, Apple Pay, Visa, Cash App, and Venmo rather than in traditional banks. This shift signals a generational preference for speed, transparency, and mobile-first experiences, paving the way for new models of consumer payments and financial education.
Their understanding of finance links naturally to their broader influence on global economies and market evolution.
As Generation Alpha matures, they will redefine how societies save, spend, and sustain. Their worldview, grounded in technology, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, will challenge investors and brands to adapt rapidly.
To capture their attention, companies must balance innovation with ethics, speed with transparency, and growth with purpose.
In a world increasingly shaped by young consumers who can code, create, and critique before they can drive, success will belong to those who understand not only how Alphas buy but also what they believe in. Their influence marks a turning point for global business models, redefining both capitalism’s priorities and its possibilities.
The Research & Analytics Hub at Kyiv Consulting helps organisations make sense of complex markets through evidence-based intelligence. We specialise in uncovering what truly drives change beneath the surface, combining consumer behaviour analysis, market forecasting, and strategic foresight to identify patterns others miss.
We work with investors, founders, and business leaders worldwide who need to make confident decisions when the future is still unfolding.
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