Springboard’s Tom Mirabile shares findings on top consumer values and generational nuances
CHICAGO, IL (March 12, 2026) – Trends come and go, but the data behind them is more important than ever as marketers seek to understand what drives purchasing decisions across generations, said Tom Mirabile, principal and founder of Springboard Futures, in a keynote session yesterday at The Inspired Home Show® 2026.
Hosted by the International Housewares Association (IHA), the Show is being held March 10-12 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. Buyers from 115 countries are joining over 1,000 home and housewares companies to explore new products, insights and opportunities to strengthen partnerships and drive growth.
In his session, “Top Trends 2026: Survive and Thrive—Balancing the Matters and Mindsets that Drive Decisions,” Mirabile unveiled the results of the 2026 Value Equation Index, a research collaboration between IHA and Springboard. The survey, conducted in February and publicly shared for the first time at the Show, revealed what consumers value when making a housewares purchase—from price and design to functional benefits and environmental responsibility. The Index includes segmented data across the four generations that spend the most in the category: Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers.
Mirabile maintained that generational differences still matter, especially for home and housewares categories. “In lifestyle industries, purchases are still strongly shaped by age and stage. And when you understand those differences, you start to see very clear patterns in what people value, how they live and why they buy,” he said. “People are not buying things—they’re becoming someone. Make sure your brand reflects who that is.”
The 2026 Value Equation Index found that quality, trust, pricing incentives and social proof, such as ratings and reviews, all play significant roles in shaping how consumers evaluate home and housewares purchases.
Key Takeaways by Generation
While Millennials and Gen X together account for 60-70 percent of home and housewares spend, Boomers make higher-margin purchases. Gen Z may not spend a lot today, but they have huge growth potential. Some specific generational insights from Mirabile include:
Generation Z: The youngest cohort, Gen Z encompasses those ages 14-29 and about 15-20 percent of category spend. This value-driven group heavily influences – and is heavily influenced by – social media, especially when it comes to cooking, baking and home décor. According to Mirabile, they live in smaller spaces, appreciate decorative space-saving storage, and like to personalize each room. Refurbished products are hot with this group, a route that provides a pathway to brand loyalty.
Millennials: This generation, now ages 30-44, are in the thick of life (80 percent will have kids by 2030), according to Mirabile. This group represents 35-40 percent of category spend. They also are value-driven, but will splurge on quality when they need to. They are the largest home-buying generation and are working at home and entertaining at home. Tools for entertaining and convenient cleaning are high on their shopping list.
Gen X: Smaller in number, this generation – now 46 to 61 years old – holds a lot of spending power. They are in peak earning and spending years, and have the highest rate of home ownership next to Boomers. They may have kids still living at home, and aging parents too. They spend heavily on outdoor entertaining, major kitchen renovations, comfort and wellness. They like smart home items and anything that makes cleaning easier and more convenient as their bodies age.
Baby Boomers: This generation – 62 to 80 years old – hold 20-25 percent of the category spend. They are aging in place, and/or purchasing second homes for lifestyle and flexibility. They host more family gatherings than other generations and like to entertain inside and out. They are interested in everyday wellness. Because they don’t purchase things as often, they are quality driven.
Values Driving Home and Housewares Purchases
The Value Equation Index, designed to understand how consumers define “value” when choosing products, brands or retailers in the home and housewares market, examines the factors that shape those consumers’ value perceptions.
Some of the top findings from the 2026 Index include:
- Quality and trust reign supreme: Quality (64%) and trust (49%) came in as the most important factors to consumers when making home and housewares purchase decisions. When asked for the top traits that were important for quality, respondents said durability (49%) and reliable performance (42%) were most important, with safety (31%) moving up to the third spot, an increase of 24% in the past 18 months.
- Promotions drive purchase, as do free shipping and returns: When it comes to pricing and promotions, respondents said they wait for a promotion (39%) or look for free shipping and returns (39%). Millennials are more likely to buy during a promotional period, while Gen Z will select free shipping and returns, even if the price is higher. Boomers and Gen X are most likely to purchase without extensive comparison if the price is right. “Customers are not just price sensitive, they are value driven,” said Mirabile.
- The influence of ratings and reviews is increasing: Looking at ratings and reviews before purchase was very or extremely important to consumers overall (80%), with Millennials (88%) finding it very important. This factor increased in importance by 12% from 18 months ago. “A vast majority of consumers prefer peer-to-peer reviews over expert reviews. And quantity, not just quality, is important,” he said.
- Being a good corporate citizen matters: Consumers said purchasing from companies that are socially responsible was very or extremely important (62%), which is up 24% in the last 18 months. The importance of purchasing from companies that are environmentally responsible was 67%, up 10% in the last 18 months.
Complete results from the latest Value Equation Index will be included in the 2026 IHA State of the Industry Report this summer.
A video recording of the program will be posted on the Show’s website at TheInspiredHomeShow.com/education/#keynotes in the coming days.
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The International Housewares Association (IHA) is the 87-year-old voice of the home and housewares industry, dedicated to bringing buyers and sellers together. IHA hosts the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, in Chicago every March. Each year, the Show brings together more than 2,000 unique brands and hundreds of thousands of products with both global and domestic buyers; U.S.-based attendees alone represent more than 100,000 retail locations and over $64 billion in buying power. The not-for-profit, full-service Association also offers member companies a wide range of services including industry and government advocacy; export assistance; trend reports; executive management peer groups; group buying discounts; and an independent news and information platform, HomePageNews.com.
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