No Buy 2026: the “no-buy” trend comes from Generation Z

The no buy is the stricter version: participants are only allowed to spend on unavoidable expenses (housing, utilities, food, health), and all “nice to have” items are temporarily banned. Low buy is more flexible: the limits are individual (for example, 1–2 items of clothing per month, less often a toy), but the essence is the same: replacing the “I deserve it” logic with planned spending.

From a commercial perspective, the most sensitive categories are fashion, beauty care, perfume, home decor and viral “gadgets” – that is, those where trends and quick replacement drive sales. The challenge for retail is not an absolute stop to sales, but rather a signal: customer demand for a transparent value proposition, durability, repairability and “smart” discounts is increasing instead of constant sales noise.