Consumer behaviors are evolving rapidly, and CPG brands must stay ahead to thrive in 2025. Economic uncertainty, inflationary pressures, and shifting consumer priorities are reshaping the industry. Three forces are driving the future: affordability, ethical sustainability, and digital-first transformation. Now more than ever, brands need to fine-tune their strategies, leveraging data-driven insights to price products effectively, develop impactful sustainability initiatives, and optimize DTC digital channels. 

The good news? The Suzy platform has all the methodologies you need, including our brand new AI-moderated conversational methodology, Suzy Speaks.

In this blog we will be taking you through a playbook for how a CPG brand can utilize Suzy to deliver on what consumers are expecting in 2025. We will break down the key methodologies, key scenarios, the key questions, and of course the technology behind the platform. Specifically we will be showing how Suzy can help CPG brands to:

• Determine the optimal pricing strategy
• Test concepts before investing large sums in product production and campaigns
• Optimize the DTC channels for ROI 

Let’s jump right in.

1. Navigating Pricing Sensitivity in a Cost-Conscious Market

With 50% of consumers choosing store-brand groceries over name brands and 70% citing lower prices as the main reason, affordability is reshaping consumer spending habits. Private-label brands are thriving, and national brands must adapt by adopting dynamic pricing strategies and value-driven marketing.

The challenge:

Understanding and being able to navigate pricing sensitivities for your consumer segments is imperative for CPG brands. But which way to turn? With consumers making affordability-driven choices, in order to stay relevant, brands must clearly present the right mix of pricing options, and be able to communicate their value—or risk losing market share. 

Any of the below scenarios could result in the need for a brand to navigate pricing sensitivities, and collect deep insights that allow them to move with confidence:

• Price wars & private labels: National brands are struggling to compete with private labels that offer similar quality at lower prices.
• Inflation & cost pressures: Rising supply chain costs make it difficult for brands to maintain profit margins while keeping prices competitive.
• Consumer trust in value: Consumers are more skeptical about brand value and need clear justification for premium pricing.

The solution:

Before setting or adjusting your price strategy, it's essential to know what your consumers are willing to pay. And more importantly, why. Pricing research can help determine the optimal price point and accompanying messaging that maximizes revenue while keeping consumers engaged.

Deep-dive: Suzy Speaks

Suzy Speaks is an AI-driven, voice-based research methodology that enables brands to capture authentic, conversational insights at scale. The advantage of leveraging Suzy Speaks over traditional qual methods is that you can quickly get deep level insights without the wait time. This is because Suzy Speaks does not require delays for scheduling and is cost efficiency, helping brands understand the “why” at scale. Utilizing this method will allow brands to capture spontaneous emotional responses and subconscious triggers that influence willingness to pay. The insights gained provide brands with a more holistic understanding of consumer price sensitivity.

PLUS -> this new AI-moderated conversational methodology is now available from Suzy, alongside all of your other methodologies.

The bottom line:

CPG Brands should implement cost-per-use comparisons, bundled deals, and transparent pricing to retain consumer trust in a price-sensitive market. Additionally, testing price elasticity across different consumer segments will help brands optimize their offerings. In order to achieve success in doing this, brands will need a deep level of understanding and insights.

2. Testing Sustainability Concepts to Build Consumer Trust

Sustainability is no longer optional—it’s an expectation. Demonstrated with the fact that 90% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from brands with sustainable packaging. Furthermore, 85% of consumers are much more likely to trust a brand that is transparent about its sustainability practices. Leading brands are focusing on biodegradable packaging, water-efficient production, and lower carbon footprints to meet these demands. But are these the right strategies for your brand?

The challenge:

Before choosing which sustainability challenges to overcome, you likely want to have a high-level of confidence in which issues and claims will be the most impactful and ultimately build trust. Utilizing a range of research methodologies at this stage can help drive the best strategy before spending large amounts of budget on product/packaging development, and marketing campaigns and messages. 

As a CPG brand, you might encounter any of the following scenarios that would likely require a deep level of understanding of your consumers in relation to sustainability issues:

• Greenwashing concerns: Consumers are wary of misleading sustainability claims, making transparency essential.
• Cost of sustainable materials: Eco-friendly packaging and ethical sourcing often come at a higher cost, impacting pricing strategy.
• Consumer confusion: Many shoppers don’t fully understand sustainability terms (e.g., compostable vs. recyclable), leading to uncertainty in purchasing decisions.

The solution:

Ahead of spending large amounts of budget, you likely want to have a firm understanding of which sustainability issues are most important to your consumers. Instead of assuming, use research to uncover the true drivers of sustainability and ensure your product, packaging, and messaging aligns with what matters most.

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Deep-dive: MaxDiff

MaxDiff (Maximum Difference Scaling) is a quantitative research methodology used to determine which sustainability claims or attributes consumers prioritize most. Instead of ranking a long list of attributes, respondents are repeatedly shown a small set of options and asked to choose the most and least important ones. This forces clear differentiation and provides a hierarchy of consumer preferences, helping brands understand which sustainability claims actually influence purchase decisions the most.

PLUS -> with Suzy, your MaxDiff all of your results are available as soon as the research is complete. No more waiting for additional analysis to be completed.

Example of MaxDiff output which uncovers preferences behind different sustainability claims:

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The bottom line:

To stay competitive and avoid wasting budgets, brands should invest in deep level research that paints a clear picture of how consumers are really thinking about sustainability. Some of the issues that might be important to your brand’s consumers include clear impact reports, transparent sourcing disclosures, and consumer-friendly sustainability messaging. Even, providing interactive packaging elements (QR codes linking to impact statements) can also enhance trust and engagement. The key is to test and uncover a clear pathway before diving headfirst.

3. Optimizing DTC Digital Channels for Faster Growth

With 60% of consumers purchasing directly from brands via DTC channels and 63% buying CPG products through influencer links, digital transformation is essential. The DTC market is projected to reach $591.3 billion by 2032, driven by consumer preferences for exclusive offers and fast deliveries.

The challenge:

If digital is a new strategy for your brand, or even if you already have one, understanding the consumer experience is essential to success now and on an ongoing basis. Initial launch is just the beginning, with ever changing preferences and technological capabilities, you want a research strategy that ultimately helps your brand stay on top. 

As a CPG brand, you might encounter any of the following scenarios that would likely require you to deploy research methodologies to uncover how consumers feel about your digital strategy:

• DTC adoption & logistics: Many brands lack the infrastructure to manage direct-to-consumer fulfillment efficiently.
• Customer retention: Without physical shelf presence, maintaining loyalty in a crowded online market is more challenging.
• Optimizing digital experience: Poor UX, slow load times, and complex checkouts lead to abandoned carts and lost revenue.

The solution:

A direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy can be a game-changer for CPG brands, but it requires continuous testing and optimization. Whether it's improving your website, refining ad messaging, or enhancing the checkout experience, research can ensure you're making the right moves.

Deep-dive: Video Open-Ends (VOEs)

Video Open-Ends (VOEs) provide richer qualitative insights by allowing consumers to express their thoughts via recorded video responses rather than text-based surveys. This method captures tone, facial expressions, and nonverbal cues, giving brands a deeper understanding of consumer sentiment, frustrations, and expectations. VOEs are especially useful for DTC user experience testing, as they reveal how consumers interact with a website, identify pain points, and highlight areas for improvement in real time.

PLUS -> it’s easy to turn VOEs into a showreel directly in the Suzy platform.

The bottom line:

In order to launch and continue to optimize for successful digital experiences, CPG brands need to have a robust research program dedicated to these channels. Committing to this ongoing research and flow of critical insights can help brands own the customer relationship and invest in first-party data collection, make the most of influencer marketing investments, and ensure that they are able to deliver on the promise of a seamless and meaningful digital experience.

Final Thoughts: The Power of an Integrated Research Approach

CPG brands that embrace affordability, sustainability, and digital-first convenience will be the ones that thrive in 2025. By combining pricing research, sustainability testing, and digital optimization, brands can make smarter, faster, and more impactful decisions. This approach ensures that your product is priced right, your packaging aligns with consumer values, and your digital channels drive conversions.

Want to see how real-time research can elevate your strategy? Book a demo today!

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