In our continued study of trends shaping consumer behaviour and marketing in 2026, this week we’re looking at treat economics, or “treatenomics.” I’m not even sure if that’s a real world, but it’s what I’m choosing to call the intersection of current economics and consumers pursuit of small treats. Think of it as an extension of the pursuit of joy, which we looked at last week, but with a unique inflection point happening in our K-shaped economy right now.
In the early 2000s marketing executives at Estee Lauder coined a new term called the “lipstick effect.” They observed increased cosmetic sales during economic downturns. Instead of buying big-ticket items like cars or luxury vacations, cash-strapped shoppers would treat themselves to smaller mood-boosting indulgences like lipstick, mascara and nail polish.
There’s something similar emerging in 2026, but with a unique twist for our times.
The little luxuries that aren’t so little
Even as budgets tighten, consumers are protecting spending on small luxuries because these purchases have become essential to emotional well-being. In fact treatonomics, or micro-luxuries, is emerging as one of the biggest consumer shifts of 2026.
Research reveals that 75% of consumers consider small purchases a critical part of their day for “a moment of joy.” That online purchase, iced coffee, or those flowy linen pants that keep showing up in your Instagram feed that you finally broke down and purchased – are intentional emotional uplifts in an otherwise chaotic world.
But treatenomics differs from the old “lipstick effect”, in its theory about small luxuries during tough times. This is bigger. And it’s not tough times for all – that’s where the K-shaped economy comes into play, with some little luxuries becoming much larger purchases. It’s not just demand-driven, it’s production and distribution enabled, and that’s also how it differs from the traditional lipstick effect. Flexible manufacturing, lower minimum orders, and direct-to-consumer models mean brands can respond to these moments with unprecedented speed in just hours or even minutes.
The opportunity for brands is to find the “moments of joy” that you can uniquely offer, and where a competitive advantage can be created through value delivery. How are you uniquely creating moments of joy for your customers? Framed as treats, and as escape from the trials of our world these days, this is a question well worth you asking. Then consider how you could uniquely own it against your competitors.
In case you missed the earlier trends in this series, I’ve got you covered with the links below!
Marketing trends defining 2026
Trend #1: Long form content is back – seeking substance (April 12) https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/2042231/184540661591050205
Trend #2: Craving human connection (April 26) https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/2042231/185809001486746693
Trend #3: Leveraging IRL – offline in real life experiences for connection, authenticity (May 10) https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/2042231/187077317794727907
Trends #4: Influencers are the new media (May 24) https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/2042231/188345694142072448
Trend #5: Answer engine optimization: it’s impact on SEO (June 7) https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/2042231/189614111464621403
Trend #6: Seeking positive moments of joy (June 21) https://preview.mailerlite.io/preview/2042231/emails/190542917752849471
Adventure travel podcast interview you don’t want to miss – my treat to you!
Check out my recent podcast interview with Scott Armstrong about adventure travel.
Adventure Travel After 50: Why your biggest adventure is still ahead. Featuring Mary Charleson from carryonqueen.com https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/ohau-koka/episodes/Adventure-Travel-After-50-Why-Your-Biggest-Adventure-Is-Still-Ahead-e3kn63t
Is adventure travel a little luxury that isn’t so little? That could well explain why travel has become so popular with the over 50 crowd, a group who if they have invested well, are the benefactors of the K-shaped economy right now. It’s treatenomics, with a K-shaped 2026 twist!
