PacSun prides itself on understanding what makes its Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumer tick. Now the retailer has commissioned a study, “The Youth Report by PacSun,” to find out what matters most to these 11- to 24-year-olds.
The study, which was conducted in partnership with data and analytics firm GlobalData, surveyed more than 6,000 Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers in the U.S. and found that mental health is the top priority in their lives, with 42 percent responding that this was more important than physical health or academic success.
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Other findings include the fact that more than a quarter of those surveyed cited music as central to their identity. In addition, fashion is important in their lives, with 21 percent saying they regularly engage in discussions about fashion trends with friends, and 15 percent saying they follow trend reports, blogs or fashion pages to stay up to date on the trends.
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Other findings include 24 percent of respondents saying TikTok is the social media platform they would be hard-pressed to live without. The platform is where they turn for current fashion trends, according to 59 percent, while 66 percent said they rely on it for current events and pop culture. If TikTok were banned, 47 percent said they would use Instagram instead.
One in five respondents aspire to be content creators or influencers, they said, with 75 percent of Gen Alphas saying they have purchased clothing specifically to create content.
A sense of individual style is also key to this demographic, the survey found. More than half of respondents in both age groups said they depend upon their own sense of style when deciding how to dress, but 45 percent said they are influenced by celebrities and public figures, while influencers were cited by 33 percent.
Their sense of individualism increased with age, with 32 percent of Gen Z saying they chart their own path while Gen Alpha consumers are more open to inspiration from creators, celebrities and peers.
PacSun said it will continue to conduct this survey annually and make the results available for free to the industry. The 2025 edition will be officially released during an invite-only PacSun Purpose Summit in Los Angeles on Sept. 18, where the company will host creators, media and brand partners for an experiential presentation of the findings. During the summit, PacSun will also introduce a Youth Advisory Council consisting of Gen Z and Gen Alpha cultural influencers.
“At PacSun, we’ve spent decades building trust with young people, and with that comes a responsibility to share what we’ve learned and to commit to keep learning,” said Brieane Olson, chief executive officer. “We created ‘The Youth Report by PacSun’ for everyone, irrespective of their industry who is navigating how to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Our goal is to offer real, actionable insights that anyone can use to better serve, support and celebrate that next generation, now and for years to come.”
“What makes this study so groundbreaking is how PacSun has made the intentional decision to open these fresh and often unexpected findings to the industry at large. In a competitive landscape, this gesture of collaboration rather than competition sets PacSun apart, signaling a future-first approach that benefits the entire industry,” said Neil Saunders, managing director and retail analyst at GlobalData.