In the past decade, retailers and brands have responded to people’s efforts to take control of their – and their families’ – health and wellness by offering an ever-expanding array of products and services. But the sheer number of choices has overwhelmed consumers. Companies are missing an opportunity here. Our latest How America Shops® report breaks down the barriers shoppers are facing on their journey to find accessible, affordable health solutions.

Retailers and brands might be offering consumers more health and wellness options to meet demand, but in doing so they also are missing a big opportunity: While more people want to take a proactive role in managing self-wellness – and are willing to do the work for it – they find themselves overwhelmed by a glut of choices, and costs.

To top it off, shoppers feel mounting pressure to get it right, perhaps because companies are making it more complicated for them. Rather than make self-care easy, companies are just adding more products and information that are neither accessible or affordable.

This is a moment. Retailers and brands would do well to step back, assess their offerings and see what role they should play in helping their shoppers confidently and affordably take care of their own health and that of their families.

Do not take this moment for granted.

Highlights from Our Latest How America Shop® Wellness Survey

These are the shopper-defining characteristics retailers and brands must navigate, from our recent How America Shops® report, “The Wellness Breakdown”:

• Today’s shoppers are very engaged in their health and wellness. As a result, many are taking preventative medications from weight-loss drugs to gut health. Chief among the reasons: economic and social factors. Many shoppers just can’t afford to be sick; 16% cited the lack of affordable healthcare is an obstacle to a healthy life, reaching 19% for households making under $50k a year.
• They are willing to do the work. More than eight in 10 shoppers are doing something to take control of their own health, with one-third doing more of their own research, and with two-thirds incorporating technology into their wellness research. This presents a significant upside for brands and retailers that invest in responsible, proven tech. For example, six in 10 consumers told us they are open to using and trusting AI for wellness topics in the future.
• However, retailers and brands are not making it easy. Companies are responding to self-care by continually adding services and products – shelves full of them – but they are not making the experience easy or accessible. Rather, the number of solutions, places to buy and “experts” swamps consumers and they don’t know where to turn for trusted guidance. Just 17% of shoppers trust influencers, 23% trust retailer websites and 25% trust manufacturer websites, but, worth noting, 29% trust YouTube – up 10 percentage points from 2022.
• Health outlooks are inching up – but could be better. 36% of shoppers rate their health as very good or excellent, but that leaves nearly two-thirds feeling less optimistic. Further, a health-wellness gap exists: Higher-income shoppers are more focused on their physical health than lower-income ones. Low-income shoppers, meanwhile, feel less in control of their physical and emotional well-being and are concerned about finances, lack of sleep and mental health. Lack of affordability is creating greater economic challenges, a reflection of the much discussed K-shaped economy.
• Non-physical ailments trigger more health concerns – and needs. Stress, lack of sleep, financial worries and loneliness rank among the top five health concerns in 2026, cited by 27% to 37% of consumers. Yet many are cutting back on regular checkups, taking vitamins less and are willing to smoke or vape more than they did in 2024. It’s not that these factors aren’t important to maintaining good health, it’s that they are just not as important.

4 Ways Retailers and Brands Can Seize This Opportunity

So how can you gain trust among health and wellness consumers today and to prepare for what’s next?

Wellness shoppers are inundated with products, ingredients, solutions, technology and categories. Yet many feel left out, priced out or ignored (especially women and lower-income shoppers).

Most shoppers are not looking for a new product to solve a niche health issue; they simply want help with the basics, such as eating well and physical health. Affordable options can create future opportunities.

Consumers are doing their own wellness research, especially online. However, they still have trust issues in certain areas such as AI. Give shoppers the options they want to find your brand or solution and be sure those options feel authentic, informative and trustworthy.

Women, lower-income households, Black/African Americans and younger shoppers feel uncertain about their wellness choices and are falling behind in the self-care trend. Each should be recognized as a different population with different needs.

Lastly: Remember that ease and accessibility are essential for each of these strategies to work. Shoppers want to help themselves be well, but the opportunity is yours to ensure they get there.

Seeking More Self-Care Opportunities? Our Experts Are “In”

Self-care applies to retail and brand strategies as well. We can break down your wellness opportunities, and misses, and provide tailored solutions. Check out WSL Strategic Retail’s Consulting Services here to learn more. Not a client? You can get started to here.