Digital Consumer Trends 2026

Deloitte has unveiled its latest Digital Consumer Trends 2026 report, offering a vivid look into how Irish consumers are navigating an increasingly digital world. The report highlights how deeply digital technologies now shape everyday life across connectivity, media consumption, smartphone use, AI adoption and online behaviour.  

With 95% of adults owning a smartphone, the device has firmly become Ireland’s primary digital hub, from payments and identity to news and entertainment. Nearly half of consumers now use smartphones or smartwatches for in‑person payments, reflecting the rapid adoption of digital wallets and contactless habits. Digital fatigue, however, is growing: 70% of people say they wish they spent less time on their devices, and 1 in 4 have deleted a social media app to take a break. 

Streaming remains dominant, with 74% of consumers subscribing to paid digital services, even as overall subscription growth begins to plateau. Meanwhile, younger audiences, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, continue to rely on social media as their primary news source, raising important questions around trust, accuracy and media literacy. 

The full Deloitte report offers a deeper dive into Ireland’s shifting digital landscape, including how consumers balance convenience, wellbeing and emerging AI‑powered tools. Click here to read.