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If 2025 was the year of “do more with less,” 2026 is the year of “prove it.” Consumers want value and values. Retailers want cleaner data and faster compliance. Regulators want receipts. The brands that win will make product truth (complete, trustworthy data) their superpower.
Below are the 10 shifts shaping 2026 — with takeaways for CPG teams and a quick POV on how Smarter Sorting helps.
After years of price shock, shoppers are redefining value and mixing bargain hunting with brand splurges. Expect continued trade-offs by basket and channel—with private labels gaining share as retailers invest in tiered store brands.
So what? National brands need sharper claims, proof of performance, and crystal-clear comparability.
Smarter Sorting POV: Normalize attributes across national and private labels to compete on truth (not just price).
Retail media spend keeps climbing into 2026, but audits and content policies are tightening. Product data quality becomes ad performance plumbing.
So what? If your specs, claims, and images are inconsistent, your ROAS leaks.
Smarter Sorting POV: One source of product truth feeds both compliance pages and retail media feeds.
States continue phasing in PFAS restrictions across categories (cleaning, textiles, cosmetics, dental floss, ski wax, cookware), with multiple effective dates starting January 1, 2026. Even with high-profile veto drama, momentum is net-tightening.
So what? You need ingredient provenance and substitutes ready — and you need to prove “PFAS-free” by jurisdiction.
Smarter Sorting POV: Map ingredients to state-by-state PFAS lists; flag risk and safer alternatives early.
US packaging EPR programs are now on the runway: OR/CO first (2025), CA design/labeling obligations ramping with key compliance by Oct 4, 2026 (SB 343), and more states queued. EPR fees and recyclability claims become data problems.
So what? Labels that once “sounded green” may be unlawful in California by late 2026; claims must match actual acceptance.
Smarter Sorting POV: We validate recyclability claims and prep you for EPR reporting.
FTC’s Green Guides update remains pending, while California SB 343 forces near-term discipline on recyclability claims. Expect greater scrutiny of “compostable,” “biodegradable,” and “plastic-free” assertions.
So what? Marketing must carry legal-grade documentation.
Smarter Sorting POV: Keep claim substantiation, sources, and material acceptance data attached to each SKU.
Retailers move toward scanning 2D codes that can unlock ingredients, allergens, instructions, repair info, and sustainability data. 2026 is the build year; by 2027 POS systems are expected to read 2D at scale.
So what? If your product data isn’t structured and linked, your 2D code is just a pretty dot-matrix.
Smarter Sorting POV: We standardize and map attributes to GS1 schemas so your codes resolve to clean, useful data.
ESPR’s Digital Product Passport begins rolling out by sector from 2026, expanding through 2027–2029. Even US-only brands will feel downstream asks for traceability, recycled content, repairability, and provenance. (European Commission)
So what? Retail and marketplace partners will ask you for “DPP-like” data fields — sooner than you think.
Smarter Sorting POV: Centralize tech specs, materials, and compliance docs now; export to partner-specific templates later.
Refillable/reusable and concentrated formats expand as costs and policy pressure converge with consumer preferences for less waste. Plan for SKU proliferation (starter kits, refills, components) and new returns flows.
So what? Operations get more complex: more barcodes, more parts, more rules.
Smarter Sorting POV: We keep bundles and components linked so transport, hazmat, and end-of-life rules stay correct across kits.
“Damp” lifestyles and function-first beverages keep growing: non-alcoholic options and better-for-you claims expand assortments, especially in convenience and mass. Compliance and claim precision matter.
So what? Expect more label reviews (structure/function claims, sweetener disclosures) and retailer QA checks.
Smarter Sorting POV: Normalize nutrition/ingredient fields and flag risky claims before they hit retail portals.
FDA cosmetic facility registration/product listing is ongoing. Retailers will increasingly gate assortments on MoCRA readiness (and related contact/recall fields) in 2026.
So what? Keep listings current and tie them to product labels and SDSs; don’t let channel partners discover gaps first.
Smarter Sorting POV: Sync MoCRA fields into your master data; we surface the data gaps for you.
What this adds up to
2026 is the year product data becomes revenue-critical. Consumers are picky, retailers are policy-bound, and regulators are crystal-clear. The winners will:
That’s exactly what Smarter Sorting was built for: enrichment → validation → normalization → classification—with audit-ready proof at every step.