Uncertainty is often associated with a particular period of time. COVID-19 marked an intense period of uncertainty around our health, the state of the world, work and beyond. The cost-of-living crisis has left many wondering whether their finances will continue to spiral out of control or whether there will be an eventual improvement. More recently, geopolitical instability amid US-Iran tensions has raised questions about whether everyday life is being reshaped by scarcity.

These moments of tension feel specific to time-bound events. But taken together, the signal is something broader – uncertainty is no longer a temporary phase, but a baseline cultural condition we’re all forced to exist in.

This sense of ongoing instability is reflected in people’s moods, too – 39% of adults globally reported feeling a lot of worry the previous day, while 37% report stress. In the UK, around 23.5% of adults report high levels of anxiety, and only 29% of Americans now rate their mental health as excellent. Uncertainty has become a default setting impacting wellbeing at scale, and increasingly, people are no longer waiting for stability to return and are instead learning to function within it.

This is reshaping how people shop, consume and make decisions. As our Hacking Uncertainty sector behaviour highlights: “People are trying to optimise and strategise their spending, even if it means cutting corners to maintain their quality of life. This shift in mindset is evident as shoppers are picking smarter over faster, abandoning convenience to prioritise cost-efficiency.”

But what's at the heart of this adaptation?

Economic instability as an everyday reality

In the US, the majority of adults report significant stress about grocery prices, with around 50% calling it a major stressor. In the UK, one in 10 working-age adults are juggling low income and debt, insecure tenancies and high rents, and difficulty accessing NHS care.

This constant inflationary pressure makes long-term planning difficult – whether it's saving for retirement or buying a home. Only 65% of households in England reported having any savings, meaning around 35% reported none at all. This instability is no longer abstract and is embedded in everyday decisions, from financial planning to the price of basic goods.

Information overload

Alongside economic pressure, algorithmic overwhelm exists. People are increasingly overwhelmed by social media and the constant, real-time exposure to global crises it provides. A study published in the Journal of Computers in Human Behaviour Reports found that doomscrolling – or spending excessive time consuming negative news – was linked to feelings of existential anxiety, distrust and suspicion of others, and despair. Feeds are amplifying the volatility, making the world feel more unstable than ever.

Because of this constant visibility, the boundary between personal and global instability is becoming blurred. Uncertainty is no longer shaped only by lived experiences, but by what people are continuously exposed to on their feeds.

Rapid technological change

At the same time, the acceleration of AI and rapid technological change introduces a different kind of uncertainty – one that feels forward-facing rather than the imminent instability people are facing.

While this carries potential for societal advancement, it also creates ambiguity around its personal impact – jobs, creative industries and expertise all feel less stable. In fact, around 38% of Britons report feeling negatively about AI. The lack of clear rules or long-term structure around AI makes future-proofing life choices harder, reinforcing a sense that the ground beneath professional identity is still shifting.

What does this mean for brands?

Sell emotional certainty, not life certainty

Brands can’t promise stability in an unstable world, but they can offer familiarity and grounding experiences and products to help create emotional cushioning for people.

Flexibility is now a value proposition

Flexibility has also never been more important – and this is a value proposition that brands can lean into. Whether it’s low-commitment entry points, easy returns, trials or modularity, this flexibility will win favour with people who want to reduce perceived risk around decision-making. In this environment, reducing friction becomes more valuable than maximising conversion efficiency.

Meaning is the new premium

Strong narrative identity matters, along with transparency, intention and cultural relevance. As people actively seek ways to maintain a sense of control, there’s an opportunity for brands to play up the human touch to foster emotional safety and validate people’s internal experiences. For instance, Aerie has launched an anti-AI campaign, following a pledge to never use AI-generated people in its marketing, and Tinder has launched a ‘proof of humanity’ badge.

We’ll be exploring how uncertainty is shaping behaviour in our What If report series, including the impact of shifting energy dynamics in Europe and the US, the implications of rising food prices, and whether ‘wartime living’ is becoming normalised for Gen Z and millennials.

It’s safe to say that what we’re seeing is not a temporary shift in mood, but a long-term reconfiguration of behaviour around instability as a constant.