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Loyalty in Motion: How Trust and Brand Perception Are Evolving in Real-Time
Retail Resiliency Survey 2026
The inaugural Retail Resiliency Survey from the Retail & Consumer Products team within FTI Consulting’s Strategic Communications segment examines how trust, loyalty, and purchasing decisions are impacted by brand perception, demonstration of corporate values, AI-generated content, and crisis response.
Developed to help retail and consumer brand leaders better understand how corporate actions impact real-time shifts in consumer behavior, the Retail Resiliency Survey provides a data-driven view into where potential risk is emerging.
Our survey of consumers across the United States, conducted in March 2026, puts data behind the dynamics many retail and consumer brands are already navigating: brand loyalty is becoming more fluid, more immediate, and more influenced by how companies behave and respond to challenges in real-time.
01.
Loyalty is becoming more conditional
Consumers, especially younger ones, are more willing to switch brands based on values.
Nearly 1 in 4 Gen Zers form brand opinions through AI search tools
What's inside the full report
Where high performers are pulling away and what they're focused on Bottom-line imperatives: where to double down, what to pressure-test, what to do now AI adoption, implementation and performance data by lever and region M&A execution benchmarks by sector Exit readiness framework by hold period stage 2026 lever priority rankings and year-over-year shifts Regional deep dives: US & Canada, EMEA, LATAM, APAC
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The High Performer Formula
Five behaviors define the high performers, the 40% of respondents who report their portfolios consistently exceeded business case expectations. Same levers. Different discipline, cadence and focus.
Velocity is a key differentiator in value creation. Firms are realizing value faster across all levers, but outperformance comes from pairing that speed with disciplined execution and focusing resources on the highest-impact growth levers.”
Scott Bingham
Senior Managing Director, Global Co-Leader of Transactions FTI Consulting
Meet the Experts
Jiva Jagtap
Senior Managing Director
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Rachel Rosenblatt
Senior Managing Director
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Katie Bestenlehner
Managing Director
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Evelyn Bubb
Managing Director
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James Condon
Managing Director
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Zak Mehan
Managing Director
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Brian Waldman
Managing Director
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Julia DePaul
Senior Director
UNITED STATES
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The data reflects what companies are navigating in real-time: we’re in a shift from promise to proof, especially among Gen Z. Younger consumers are forming opinions about brands based on a constant stream of highly visible signals tied to how businesses – not just brands – operate. As those signals become more evident and interconnected, trust becomes harder to control, easier to lose, and increasingly tied to corporate actions.
Rachel Rosenblatt
Americas Head of Retail & Consumer Products, FTI Consulting | Strategic Communications
Executive Summary
Please contact us with questions and feedback on the report. Our Retail & Consumer team looks forward to being your solutions partner to tackle the challenges facing your brand.
02.
Brand perception is being shaped in real time
Crisis response, employee treatment, and technology decisions are increasingly visible and impactful.
03.
Discovery is expanding into AI-driven environments
Consumers are beginning to encounter and evaluate brands through AI-generated content, introducing a new layer of influence outside traditional channels.
76%
BRAND
SWITCH
of all consumers walk away over how a brand responds to a crisis
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Trevor Winans
Senior Director
UNITED STATES
In 2026, retailers are operating in an environment where expectations are higher, reactions are faster, and brand perception is shaped across more touchpoints than ever before.
The data highlights three key dynamics.
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In the past year, have you stopped purchasing from a brand due to concerns about their values?
68%
of Gen Z & Younger Millennials answered YES
33%
of Baby Boomers answered YES