Many consumers still scan retail shelves for products on their lists and pick up items that capture their attention at the moment, but the shopping journey continues to shift. Circana’s 2025 New Product Pacesetters report confirms that there are more forks in the road on the path to purchase. 

Among other revelations, the latest New Product Pacesetters research highlights the ways discovery is evolving.

Social Cues

Social commerce is accelerating discovery, as platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts alter the traditional steps from awareness to purchase. Younger consumers tend to gravitate toward TikTok to find new products, while Instagram appeals to shoppers in their middle years, and Facebook is a discovery destination for later-life consumers. Circana’s findings show that younger, social-savvy Gen Z and Millennial audiences overindex as “avid early adopters” across multiple categories.

Influencers popularized by social media help shape discovery, too. More than a third (35%) of consumers who describe themselves as avid early adopters report that they have been impacted by influencers when trying something new, and 34% of those deemed “new product enthusiasts” likewise indicate that influencers affect their penchant for new products.

Changing the Channel

Shoppers moving back and forth between physical and digital stores are influenced in different ways at various points in their omnichannel journey.  Consumers often become aware of products on social platforms, validate or learn about those products on a retailer or CPG site, and then buy the item at a brick-and-mortar store. 

As a result, the path to discovery is often faster. For example, Circana research shows that discovery through TikTok Shop tends to replace traditional sampling and awareness campaigns with real-time evidence of fit; this can compress the path from concept to retail shelf and improve launch confidence for brands with a presence and following on that platform. 

Retailers also have an opportunity to boost their omnichannel appeal by offering exclusives to their shoppers. Whether it’s their own store brand offering or an item from a partner CPG, they can stand out through uniqueness.  

Agents of Change

Artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly sparks discovery. Price search and product reviews are the top two drivers for AI use for CPG products, but Circana’s data shows that more than a third (34%) of consumers use AI to explore their options and find new products.

As for the future, familiarity may lead to trust and loyalty, but the growing avenues for discovery broaden the playing field, especially from a generational viewpoint. Circana’s data shows that buying from “a brand/manufacturer I trust” when looking for new products is important for 40% of Boomers, compared to 15% to 30% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers.

Get more insights from the 2025 New Product Pacesetters report.