Inside Consumer Report 2025 – The new rules shaping consumer behavior

Consumer Report 2025, now in its 12th edition, offers an in-depth view of how Romanians navigate media, engage online, and make purchasing decisions at a time of accelerated digital change.
Developed annually by the Data Intelligence team at Starcom Romania, the report explores the forces reshaping consumer behavior and sheds light on the structural shifts that are redefining communication, marketing, and business strategies.

Let’s unpack the most important shifts. 

“The Romanian market of 2025 underwent a significant transformation: the long‑standing dominance of traditional retail collided with the rise of a new wave of “brand disruptors.” Adolescents reached a record level of openness to experimentation, with 73% of them trying new brands, while single young adults accelerated the shift toward a lifestyle where digital channels sit at the core of their consumption decisions. Beyond an evident price sensitivity, the report also highlights a major opportunity in the area of “unmet demand” for educational and travel‑related content – a clear signal that Romanians are ready to evolve from purely functional utility to high‑value, aspirational experiences.” said Oana Dogaru, Senior Data Strategist, Starcom Romania 

Screens aren’t dying, they’re multiplying
A regular TV in the home is still the norm, but the way people use TV is transforming dramatically. Young audiences now watch more online than offline, while families with kids are power‑users of Smart TVs, mixing live content with apps. Older households remain loyal to traditional TV. Consumers today are not “watching television”, they’re curating their viewing experiences across formats. 

The smartphone is now the command center of daily life
Near‑universal phone ownership (97–99%) makes mobile the default gateway for news, social, entertainment, and even banking. Teens binge entertainment, young adults multitask across devices, and families use phones more functionally. This is not mobile-first, it’s mobile‑absolute. 

AI becomes the new digital divide

“As artificial intelligence reshapes the global landscape, we are also seeing Romanians begin to explore its potential. While for many the technology is still in its early stages, young Romanians are already turning it into a standard utility. We are witnessing a clear transition: from simple curiosity to the use of AI as an essential resource for quick answers and everyday support – redefining the digital routines of a new generation.” stated Irina Drăghici, Head of Consumer Insights, Starcom Romania.

Social platforms are fragmenting
Facebook and WhatsApp still dominate nationally, but behavior is diverging:

• Snapchat, Discord, Reddit = the playgrounds of single youth;
• TikTok = more rural than urban;
• Instagram, Pinterest, visual-first platforms = led by young women;
• No channel is “universal” anymore, every platform is now its own micro‑culture. 

Audio is shifting online, but radio remains surprisingly resilient
Younger groups stream. Older groups keep radio alive, especially in cars. Listening habits remain stable overall, but the content mix is diversifying across music, morning shows, and news. It’s not “old media,” it’s absorbed into new routines. 

Editorial consumption is going digital, but print loyalists persist
Teens and young adults are rapidly abandoning physical formats for online articles. Meanwhile, families without kids stay the strongest print users.
The biggest shift? A significant rise in non-readers for both books and e‑books, especially among teens. Reading time is shrinking, and attention is moving elsewhere.

Values are shifting, and heavily shaped by life stage
Teens value control, achievement, and respect, single youth show uncertainty and declining self‑confidence, families anchor in love, stability, and belonging. This divergence is widening, and brands must speak to each mindset differently.

Online shopping grows, but offline still dominates
Physical stores remain the backbone of Romanian retail (91–94% shop offline weekly), thanks to proximity and habit. But online purchase behavior has clear leaders:

• clothing & footwear is #1 category;
• young users drive cosmetics & electronics;
• families diversify across home, toys, cleaners, and travel;
• single youth are the digital pioneers; 
• families without kids are the most cautious online shoppers. 

“Today, the internet feels like our primary place for relaxation and socializing. The data shows that both young people and families gravitate toward activities that connect them—watching movies together, playing online, and consuming video content as a form of relaxation. The essence of this change is simple: we’re no longer using technology just to stay informed, but to spend meaningful time together, digitally, with the people we care about,” said Mirela Mirică, Media Research Specialist, Starcom Romania.

Black Friday = search engines + TV + price compare culture
Search engines lead as the top info source, especially among young shoppers. Families still lean on TV. Price‑comparison sites gain traction among more analytical consumers. Shoppers aren’t impulsive, they’re strategic. 

Together, these shifts paint the picture of a consumer landscape that is more fragmented, more digital, and more polarized than ever. 

Request access to the extended interactive version of the report to gain a deeper, data-driven understanding of how consumer behavior is evolving. The interactive dashboard unlocks historical trends and exclusive insights across key dimensions – TV consumption, online behavior, social media preferences, editorial and publishing dynamics, purchase decision drivers, and brand performance, including awareness, advertising impact, favorability, and loyalty – enabling sharper decisions grounded in evidence, not assumptions.

Methodology
The information has been extracted from Consumer Report 2025 and is based on data from industry media behavior monitoring studies (SNA FOCUS, Median, Gemius), as well as data from studies conducted by Starcom (Black Friday, Women Study, Events Behavior) or data from partner studies (GWI).

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