New Delhi: Ipsos has released its Generations Report 2026, examining the demographic, workplace and behavioural shifts reshaping societies, economies and business growth assumptions worldwide.
The report explores what it describes as one of the defining tensions of the modern era — continuity versus rupture — while highlighting how businesses, governments and employers must adapt to changing population realities and evolving consumer expectations.
One of the report’s key findings is the emergence of population decline as a structural global trend. According to the study, fertility rates have fallen sharply in 10 of the 20 economies analysed, with women having significantly fewer children than previous generations. India also reflects this trend, with fertility rates declining from 5.19 in 1975 to 1.9 in 2025.
Ipsos argues that businesses can no longer depend solely on population growth and expanding consumer bases to drive future growth. Instead, companies will increasingly need to focus on building loyalty, maximising customer value and identifying new spending opportunities across changing demographic segments.
The report also questions the growing reliance on generational labels such as Gen Z, Millennials and Gen Alpha, suggesting that life stages and age-based realities offer more meaningful insights into consumer attitudes and behaviours.
Ipsos identifies two emerging economic segments likely to shape future markets: the “Dormant Economy,” referring to older populations with underutilised spending potential, and the “Endurance Economy,” comprising consumers who increasingly view milestones such as home ownership and retirement savings as unattainable.
Despite broader global demographic concerns, India continues to present a relatively positive outlook, supported by a median age of 29 years, rising life expectancy and a large consuming population.
Speaking on the findings, Suresh Ramalingam, CEO, Ipsos India, said, “The biggest questions marketers should be asking are: as populations decline, do strategies shift towards building loyalty and maximising share of wallet? Does my brand have the potential to unlock spending in the Dormant Economy? Does our tone of voice resonate with people’s realities in enduring economic times?
“The biggest shift for businesses is recognising that growth driven purely by population increase and rising consumption is slowing globally. India, however, remains distinct because of its young demographic profile and expanding consuming class.”
For the first time, the report also introduces workplace segmentation based on behaviours, attitudes and experiences rather than conventional age labels. The study identifies five workforce cohorts: The Optimists (16–25 years), The Realists (26–35 years), The Squeezed Middle (36–45 years), The Stable (46–55 years), and The Selectively Positive (56–65 years).
The findings suggest younger employees show high organisational pride but low workplace belonging, while mid-career professionals face the greatest work-life pressures. Older employees, meanwhile, report concerns around ageism and inclusion within workplaces.
The report also examines the increasing influence of artificial intelligence on the global economy. While AI can improve efficiencies and reduce production costs, Ipsos notes that technology alone does not generate consumer demand. As the report states, “robots do not buy lunch, clothes or go to a party.”
Ramalingam further said, “The Ipsos Generations Report 2026 challenges long-held assumptions about growth, generations and the workforce. As populations slow across many markets, businesses can no longer rely only on new consumers for growth. The future will belong to organisations that build deeper relevance across changing life stages, evolving workforce realities and emerging segments such as the Dormant Economy and the Endurance Economy. India remains relatively well positioned with its young demographic profile and expanding consuming class.”
Darrell Bricker also addressed the broader implications of population decline and fertility trends.
“Essentially, it’s just maths: how many people are being born and how many are dying. If you look at those two figures, you can make a fairly accurate prediction about the future population size. What we’ve seen is that the number of people entering the population has been in rapid decline. The number of people leaving the population has increased more slowly, but this will accelerate, so combining these two figures indicates nothing but population decline. The only variable is time: it’s happening at different rates in different parts of the world, but the general trend is the same everywhere.”
“There are so many theories people point to, such as technology and its impact on dating, the cost of raising children etc. I would say there are three things that matter the most: urbanisation, capitalism and culture.”
