The Fourth Industrial Revolution is transforming the consumption landscape by creating opportunities for value through game-changing technologies. With consumer spending driving approximately 60% of global GDP, embracing the power of technology to create value is paramount to ensuring progress throughout developed and emerging economies. Our Platform, with an engagement of over 150 organizations, has prioritized specific initiatives to leverage this opportunity.

Together we work to meet consumer expectations amid changing demographics. We drive the adoption of new technologies poised to transform value chains (from artificial intelligence to the internet of things and blockchain).

Our Platform supports innovative customer relationship models, while addressing trust and transparency concerns in the world of big data. With our Members and Partners, we tackle ensuing societal challenges including urban-rural divides, environmental degradation due to overconsumption, and worker reskilling to mitigate inequality.

Impact Articles

Accelerating reuse models to achieve a world free of plastic waste

By promoting reusable packaging, the World Economic Forum is helping reduce plastic waste.

These major cities are helping citizens stay healthy

The World Economic Forum is creating innovative urban partnerships, which are helping residents find a renewed focus on their physical and mental health.

Related Projects

The Future of Personalized Well-being

Context and Challenge:Every individual is unique, but today’s solutions to enable their well-being are not. Advancements in technology and the use of personal biodata hold the promise to ...

Global Plastic Action Partnership

8 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into the ocean each year. By 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean—if we do not take urgent, collective action. Co-founded by pa...

Consumers Beyond Waste

Half of the world's plastic production is for single-use items. And more than 90% of plastic is never recycled, instead polluting our planet’s landscapes and oceans. While efforts to impr...

New Frontiers of Nutrition

CONTEXTFood is fundamental for health. Globally, dietary risk factors are estimated to cause 11 million deaths (20% of total) and the loss of 255 million years (disability adjusted life-y...

Financing the Transition to a Net Zero Future

In order to avert a catastrophic climate disaster, global clean energy investments of approximately $4-5 trillion are required annually by 2030 – a more than threefold increase from exist...

Related Reports

Healthy Cities and Communities Playbook

The Healthy Cities and Communities Playbook provides city leaders with a toolkit and roadmap to start creating, accelerating and sustaining healthy-living environments in their cities.

White Paper — 18 June 2021

Vision Towards a Responsible Future of Consumption: Collaborative action framework for consumer industries

The global pandemic has underscored the underlying and persistent problems that predated COVID-19 and have exacerbated its effects: climate change; pollution; inequity and inequality; poo...

Report — 29 October 2020

Future of Consumption in Fast-Growth Consumer Markets: ASEAN

This report sheds light on one of the fastest-growing economic regions in the world - ASEAN. The report highlights the most significant implications for businesses that aim to thrive in t...

Report — 5 June 2020

Future of Consumption in Fast-Growth Consumer Markets: India

This report sheds light on one of the fastest growing economies in the world - India. By 2030, India will see a tremendous jump in consumer spending driven by increased incomes, a billion...

Report — 7 January 2019

Bio-Innovation in the Food System: Towards a New Chapter in Multistakeholder Collaboration

Mindful of the systemic nature of the nutrition, food security and environmental challenges faced by today's food system, the present discussion paper focuses more specifically on the fut...

White Paper — 21 September 2018

Operating Models for the Future of Consumption

This report highlights how increasingly empowered consumers and rapidly emerging technologies are bringing dramatic and accelerating change to the fundamental structure of business and op...

Report — 5 March 2018

Future of Consumption in Fast-Growth Consumer Markets: China

This report argues that China will have the world’s largest middle class fueled by income-growth in the next 10 years.

Report — 5 March 2018

Shaping the Future of Retail for Consumer Industries

This report highlights the game-changing technologies which will fundamentally change how retail and consumer brands do business over the next decade and shape new frontiers for physical ...

Report — 15 January 2017