Consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands face unique challenges when targeting customers in Generation Z, the digitally native demographic born between 1997 and 2012. This generation demands brands rethink traditional marketing approaches.

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With spending power expected to reach $12 trillion by 2030, Gen Z represents a highly influential consumer demographic. To delight them, CPG brands must ditch the corporate jargon and get real. Gen Z demands more than just taglines. Brands should tailor their strategies to reflect this generation's core values: authenticity, environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and transparency—all while navigating Gen Z’s digital-first lifestyle.

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Key characteristics of Gen Z and their impact on CPG shopping

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Environmental sustainability sits at the forefront of Gen Z concerns. Climate change awareness, sustainable packaging, and waste reduction aren't just preferences—they're non-negotiable expectations for the brands they support.

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As the first truly digital-native generation, Gen Z has grown up with social media and instant access to information. This constant connectivity has created consumers who can quickly detect inauthentic marketing efforts and "greenwashing” attempts. Their digital skepticism is coupled with strong values around transparency, social impact, and brand accountability—all of which influence their purchasing decisions.

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These traits manifest as distinctive shopping behaviors: Gen Z consumers meticulously research product ingredients and manufacturing processes, often directly on store shelves via mobile devices; they willingly pay premium prices for products aligned with their values but swiftly abandon brands caught misrepresenting their practices; and they expect CPG products to serve purposes beyond basic functionality, contributing positively to social or environmental causes.

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This generation views every purchase as a potential statement of personal values, transforming routine CPG transactions into expressions of identity. What this means for brands is that authentic purpose now matters as much as (if not more than) a product’s effectiveness or convenience.

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How Gen Z broke the marketing funnel

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The traditional marketing funnel—awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty—has been completely disrupted by Gen Z's approach to brand discovery and purchasing decisions.

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Zig-zagging customer journeys

Gen Z shoppers don't follow a linear path to purchase. They might discover a product through a TikTok video, research sustainability credentials on Instagram, check reviews on YouTube, and purchase directly through social commerce—all within minutes. This generation switches back and forth between channels and touchpoints in ways that defy the traditional funnel.

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The "messy middle" experience

Forget the neat, linear path to purchase. Gen Z lives in what Google calls the "messy middle"—a chaotic zone of constant comparison and exploration across tabs, apps, and platforms. They’re checking reviews, watching influencer breakdowns, toggling between shopping carts—and yes, sometimes abandoning carts just to spite those retargeting ads.

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Community-based decision-making

Brand trust isn’t earned through glossy campaigns anymore. Gen Z turns to the comment section, the group chat, or a stranger’s unboxing video before they trust your website. They want proof from real people, not polished ads. In short: if your brand voice screams “corporate,” prepare to get ignored (or worse, called out).

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The desire for instant gratification

If your checkout process takes more than a hot second, Gen Z is already ghosting you. The "consideration" phase has dramatically compressed for these shoppers, who expect seamless, instant experiences. If a CPG brand's digital presence creates friction or delays, they'll quickly abandon the journey.

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Effective CPG marketing strategies for Gen Z

Embrace authentic visual storytelling

Gen Z can spot inauthentic marketing from a mile away (and they’ll immediately call it cringe). To capture their attention in a meaningful way, CPG brands should focus on creating raw, unfiltered content that showcases products in realistic settings rather than overly produced commercial environments.

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Successful strategies include:

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• Providing behind-the-scenes glimpses into product development and sourcing
• Leveraging user-generated content showing real people using products in everyday situations
• Creating short-form video content that seamlessly blends entertainment with education about product benefits

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Prioritize sustainability and values

For Gen Z, what a brand stands for matters as much as what it sells. Successful CPG companies embrace sustainable packaging innovations and ingredients while demonstrating genuine environmental commitments that go beyond surface-level greenwashing. Sharing transparent supply chain information has become essential, as has connecting products to larger social causes that resonate with younger consumers who increasingly see their purchasing decisions as expressions of their values and identity.

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Leverage the social commerce ecosystem

Gen Z discovers and purchases products through social platforms in an integrated experience that removes traditional boundaries between entertainment, social connection, and shopping. According to a recent Walmart report, more than 55% of Gen Z has purchased while browsing social media in the past 6 months. To take advantage of this browsing fluidity, CPG brands need to:

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• Create shoppable posts that minimize steps between discovery and purchase
• Strategically partner with micro-influencers with engaged, niche followings that trust their recommendations
• Design products and packaging to be "Instagram-worthy" from the beginning
• Invest in social listening tools to identify emerging trends and feedback to help inform rapid product iterations.

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Personalize the experience

Gen Z expects brands to understand their individual preferences and respond accordingly. This generation has grown up with algorithmic recommendations and personalized digital experiences, making standardized marketing approaches seem outdated and irrelevant.

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CPG brands should:

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• Leverage first-party data to create personalized recommendations that feel helpful rather than intrusive
• Develop limited-edition products targeting specific consumer segments to create a sense of exclusivity and cultural relevance
• Build community spaces where customers can provide direct feedback, fostering the two-way relationship this generation expects

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The critical role of retailer programs and third-party certification

Retailer sustainability programs as gateways to Gen Z

For CPG brands, earning a spot in retailer sustainability programs is increasingly vital for capturing Gen Z consumers. Major retailers like Target (Target Zero), Walmart (Project Gigaton), and Ulta Beauty (Conscious Beauty) have launched initiatives spotlighting products that meet specific environmental and ethical standards. As one example, Ulta Beauty's Conscious Beauty program certifies brands across five key pillars: Clean Ingredients, Cruelty-Free, Vegan, Sustainable Packaging, and Charitable Giving—all important to Gen Z.

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Novi: bridging the verification gap

Novi has emerged as a critical platform in this ecosystem, serving as a trusted platform powering values-based shopping for leading CPG brands and retailers. Among other capabilities, Novi is a verification system that bridges the gap between CPG brands and retailer sustainability programs. Novi's comprehensive approach verifies claims across the entire product development cycle—from ingredients and formulations to packaging, team practices, and supply chain integrity.

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Novi offers several strategic advantages for CPG brands:

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• Streamlined verification: Rather than navigating multiple certification processes for different retail partners, brands can leverage Novi's unified platform to verify their sustainability credentials once and showcase them across multiple retail environments.
• Data-driven transparency: Novi's platform provides detailed documentation and verifiable proof of sustainability claims that go beyond surface-level marketing statements.
• Retail integration: By pre-qualifying products for inclusion in major retailer sustainability programs, Novi helps CPG brands gain visibility precisely where environmentally conscious Gen Z shoppers are actively looking.
• Competitive intelligence: The platform offers insights into sustainability benchmarks across product categories, helping brands understand how their offerings compare to competitors.

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For many CPG brands, Novi has become an essential strategic partner to help CPG brands meet the growing demands of Gen Z consumers, who increasingly filter products through sustainability credentials even before considering price or convenience.

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Third-party certification as a trust signal

If you say you’re sustainable, Gen Z wants proof. Bonus points if that proof has a badge, a stamp, or at least a solid Instagram carousel. Third-party certifications from organizations like B Corp, EWG Verified, Leaping Bunny, and Non-GMO Project carry significant weight with this generation, as they often research certification requirements before making purchasing decisions.

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The most valued certifications vary by product category:

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• Organic certification for food items
• Cruelty-free status for personal care
• Fair trade for products with global supply chains

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Vegan certification is gaining traction, especially in personal care and household product categories, where shoppers are increasingly looking for animal-free, ethical alternatives. Separately, platforms like Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly highlight products that meet sustainability standards, helping environmentally conscious consumers discover vetted options more easily.

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CPG brands should pursue category-relevant certifications and highlight them prominently in product packaging and marketing. Rather than treating certifications as background credentials, successful brands are centering them in their communication strategy, understanding that for Gen Z, these third-party endorsements often function as the entry ticket to consideration.

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Measurement beyond the funnel

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Since the traditional marketing funnel no longer applies, CPG brands need new metrics to evaluate success with Gen Z. Brands should consider:

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• Tracking engagement across multiple platforms simultaneously to understand the holistic customer journey
• Monitoring community growth and participation metrics rather than simple follower counts
• Analyzing content sharing and user-generated content volume as indicators of authentic connection
• Conducting comprehensive sentiment analysis across digital touchpoints
• Measuring the speed from discovery to purchase as an efficiency metric
• Focus on repeat purchase rate and product advocacy as gold standards for success

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The future of CPG marketing to Gen Z

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Gen Z isn’t just shifting the marketing landscape—they’re flipping the entire playbook. If CPG brands want to stay relevant, it’s time to stop thinking so much like marketers and start thinking more like collaborators, co-creators, and community builders.

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Winning Gen Z means ditching the one-size-fits-all approach and leaning into what matters: authenticity, transparency, and a whole lot of listening. Build for their values. Show up where they hang out. Make it easy. Make it real.

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Through retailer programs and certifications, personalized experiences, and demonstration of a genuine commitment to social and environmental causes, brands can effectively engage with Gen Z. The brands that will thrive are those willing to dismantle their conventional marketing structures and rebuild with Gen Z's values and behaviors at the center of their marketing strategy.

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To learn more about key consumer trends shaping the market in 2025 and beyond, read our 2025 CPG Trends Report: The Rise of the Conscious Consumer.