Trust, simplicity and growth in the wellbeing economy
Wellness is no longer just a category, it’s becoming a way of life.
From supplements and nutrition to fitness platforms, activewear and personalised health, consumers are investing more time, money and attention into their wellbeing than ever before.
As choice grows, so does decision fatigue.
Findings from Beat, Linney Insight’s monthly survey of 1,000 UK consumers, suggest that food choices among GLP-1 users are becoming more deliberate and less driven by cravings or impulse. For some consumers, decision-making is becoming more structured, planned and intentional.
People don’t always have the time or the appetite to assess every ingredient, claim or benefit. Instead, they rely on mental shortcuts.
Brands that reduce cognitive effort through clear benefits, simple messaging and familiar cues are more likely to be chosen than those that ask consumers to work harder to understand them.
The fastest-growing wellness brands aren't necessarily saying more; they’re making it easier for people to choose.
Trust matters more than ever
Wellness is what behavioural scientists call a credence category. Consumers can’t always judge whether a wellness product will work before they buy it, so they look for signals of trust.
Clear packaging, transparent ingredient information and consistent branding all help reduce uncertainty at the point of choice, helping people feel confident they’re making the right decision.
Trust often comes from the person who is doing the talking. This isn't limited to supplements and nutrition. Across wellbeing, skincare and aesthetics, consumers increasingly look for expert-backed brands that combine credibility with clear, easy-to-understand benefits. We're also seeing growing interest in technology-assisted decision-making, from personalised health platforms to AI-powered skin analysis that helps guide treatment and product recommendations.
“Sometimes it’s less about how a brand says it’s good and more about who says it’s good.”
James Nevard, Qualitative Lead, Linney
In categories filled with competing products and conflicting advice, trusted communicators can be as influential as the brand itself. But as some wellness behaviours become more intentional, influence alone may not be enough. Brands increasingly need to earn a place within consumers’ everyday routines and habits.
User-generated content, expert recommendations and community advocacy often carry more weight because they feel authentic, relatable and credible.
The rise of brands such as CeraVe shows how quickly trust can scale when consumers become advocates. Backed by dermatologist credibility, creator endorsement and user-generated content, the brand became part of everyday skincare conversations rather than relying solely on traditional advertising.
The CeraVe story and others like it also remind us that influence isn’t reserved for the biggest marketing budgets. Brands that earn trust through advocacy, community and social proof can often compete effectively, because they feel relevant, authentic and worth discovering.
This reflects broader changes in how people discover, evaluate and choose brands.
When you combine that detail with shopper behaviour data, a clearer picture emerges of why some brands are winning and where others are falling behind.
The opportunity: high influence, low impact
Retail has never been more influential. But it’s also never been easier to get ignored.
POPAI UK & Ireland’s InStore Spring 2026 – Shopper Viewpoint shows that 90% of shoppers say in-store displays influence their decisions. Yet only 17% of displays are seen as impactful.
That gap is significant, as it shows that most brands are present, but are not memorable.
Especially in categories like wellness, where trust and clarity matter, this creates a clear opportunity for brands that are able to reduce uncertainty and help shoppers make confident decisions.
In a category filled with competing products and complex claims, visibility alone isn’t enough. The challenge is turning presence into relevance and attention into action.