The Next Billion Consumers Are Here, and They Don't Look Like the Last
VIENNA, AUSTRIA, November 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- World Data Lab has released its latest World Consumer Outlook, revealing that the world is rapidly approaching a historic milestone: 5 billion people in the consumer class by 2028. The Outlook projects that the global consumer class will grow to around 4.72 billion people in 2026, up from 4.6 billion in 2025. This means that 4.6 billion of the world’s 8.1 billion people can now afford a middle-class life. The update reflects a slight downward revision from earlier expectations, driven mainly by softer growth in China, yet the world remains firmly on track to cross the 5-billion threshold by 2028. Growth continues to be powered by Asia, which will add around 85 million new consumers in 2026 alone, led by India, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam. These shifts underline how global consumption is increasingly shaped by Asia’s expanding middle class and the rising economic influence of the global affluent.
“The next billion consumers won’t look like the last,” said Wolfgang Fengler, CEO and Co-Founder of World Data Lab. “They are digital-first, globally connected, and concentrated in cities many companies still overlook. Understanding who they are, and how their behaviour is shifting, has become essential for any organisation operating across borders.”
The new findings show that Asia-Pacific will drive the bulk of new consumer headcount and middle-class spending, adding hundreds of millions of new consumers and trillions in additional spending by 2028. In contrast, the United States will lead growth among affluent consumers, driving the largest increase in high-income spending globally. Europe and APAC will also see meaningful affluent expansion, but the US remains the single largest engine of rich-consumer spending growth.
“We are entering a defining decade for global consumption,” said Homi Kharas, Co-Founder and Chief Economist. “Asia’s middle class will expand at an extraordinary scale, while affluent consumers, particularly in the United States, will continue to shape patterns of global demand. Winning companies will be those that can navigate both realities simultaneously.”
The insights also highlight major turning points in the affordability of technology. A growing share of the core middle class can now afford mid-range smartphones, while categories such as paid streaming, computing, and digital services show the largest spending differences between affluent and core households. These affordability thresholds signal where demand in the next decade is likely to be concentrated.
Across both consumer segments, essential goods remain the foundation of household budgets, with food, housing, transport, and health accounting for more than half of global spending (59% for core consumers, 56% for affluent). However, affluent households now dominate many high-margin categories, including health, financial services, and travel, underscoring how rising incomes reshape global consumption patterns even as essential needs persist.
World Data Lab’s findings point to a rapidly evolving global economy, one defined by demographic expansion, shifting affordability, and a widening divide between mass consumers and high-spending households. The trajectory toward the next billion consumers is clear; the opportunity lies in understanding how and where they will spend.
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