In 2026food consumption in Mexico was no longer automatic. Buy, cook and eat They have become deeply calculated acts. In the midst of a scenario marked by inflationary pressures, adjustments to the IEPS, geopolitical tensions and an increasingly present conversation about health, the Mexican consumer increasingly behaves like a strategist: prioritize, compare and decide with greater awareness than ever.
The most recent data of Worldpanel by Numerator confirm a fundamental change. It is not about abandoning categories or breaking deeply rooted cultural habits, but to reorder priorities within the family budget. Eating well is still important, but now it must be compatible with taking care of your health and protecting your spending.
Health became a daily filter
He welfare It stopped being an aspirational concept and became a practical criterion. In a country where overweight, diabetes and stress are part of everyday life, households evaluate food from a more realistic logic: Less excesses, more conscious portions and choices that do not break the routine.
reduce sugar, For example, it does not imply eliminating it completely. The Mexican consumer negotiates between health, flavor and price. Prefers familiar ingredients and familiar sensory profiles, and is wary of extreme proposals. In this context, Gradual reformulations and controlled portions generate less friction than radical “all or nothing” speeches.
Purchase strategy
Price still matters, but value weighs more
He increase of the IEPS to drinks and other products It did not cause a massive abandonment of consumption. What did trigger was a silent reconfiguration of spending. The consumer reduces frequency, alternates brands and prioritizes formats that yield more per occasion.
The The key question is no longer just how much a product costs, but how well it performs, how many times it is used and what place it takes in the pantry. In that sense, medium and large sizes are gaining ground over small formats, especially in everyday consumption categories.
Selective indulgence: fewer times, better chosen
In 2026, the pleasure does not disappear. It is administered. The Mexican consumer continues to indulge, but it concentrates them on specific moments and on products that are really worth it. Indulgence becomes more conscious and better justified.
Here comes one premiumization different from that of other years. It is not about aspirational luxury or exclusivity, but rather perceived quality: better recipes, clear flavors and sensory experiences that explain the price. You buy less, but you choose better.
Buy in more places to spend better
Omnichannel reached record levels because the consumer learned to assign functions to each channel. Supermarkets and discounters are used for supply and expense control; neighborhood shops and markets, for quick replacement and immediate consumption.
This dispersion is not chaotic, it is strategic. Comparing prices, taking advantage of promotions and combining own brands with leading brands is part of the new purchasing ritual. In food and beverage, this logic became the norm.
Less quantity, more function on the plate
An emerging phenomenon is beginning to modify the relationship with food: the advancement of medical solutions for weight control, such as GLP-1-based treatments. Its impact is not in eliminating categories, but in changing the way they are consumed.
Smaller portions, fewer eating occasions and greater nutritional demands set the tone among those exposed to these solutions. Demand is growing for products with clear functions—hydration, protein, energy—and what is perceived as “empty calories” is losing ground.
Consumer trends 2026
All of this occurs in a context where Mexico occupies a key place in the global economic rearrangement, with opportunities linked to the nearshoringthe review of T-MEC and new trade agreements. Added to this is the spill expected by the Soccer World Cup, that will bring millions of visitors and a relevant boost to consumption.
However, caution prevails in Mexican homes. The consumer knows that 2026 is not a year to spend mindlessly. That is why you adjust, plan and decide with more information.
