The m1nd-set study reveals a notable shift in GTR purchasing behaviour towards greater impulse driven purchases.

A rising trend toward unplanned, emotionally driven, spontaneous purchases among airport shoppers across all regions and demographic segments has been pinpointed in the latest research by m1nd-set.

Nearly a third of travel retail shoppers globally now make purchases on impulse, shows the data.

It represents a sharp increase from just over one in five in 2019, emphasising a marked global trend observed across all key shopper demographics, including gender, age, region and travel purpose.

This, says m1nd-set, confirms a broader evolution in shopper behaviour where travellers are ‘increasingly open to making purchase decisions in the moment, heavily influenced by their emotional state, the unique airport environment, compelling in-store activations and more personalised interaction with sales staff’.

In turn, the newly published study outlines how the growing dominance of emotional, environmental and human triggers in the decision-making process is creating a powerful opportunity for brands and retailers.

“Spontaneity is becoming a dominant mode of decision-making in travel retail,” said Dr. Peter Mohn, CEO and Owner of m1nd-set.

“As travellers become more emotionally driven and less rigid in their purchase planning, there is a huge opportunity for brands and retailers to curate immersive, emotionally engaging experiences that stimulate unplanned buying behaviour.

“The ability to influence spontaneous decision-making is now a key competitive differentiator in the highly dynamic and competitive airport retail environment.”

In its analysis, m1nd-set explains how the evolution in purchasing behaviour is influenced by a range of interconnected factors, with the emotional mindset of the traveller playing a fundamental role.

The journey itself creates a ‘unique psychological context where travellers are often in a more self-indulgent frame of mind’, say the researchers, which amplifies the desire for self-reward and significantly increases openness to spontaneous, unplanned purchases.

“The airport environment is purposefully designed to trigger impulse buying,” Mohn explained.

“With its high-impact merchandising, immersive brand activations, intentional lighting and controlled flow, the airport retail space is designed and curated to attract attention and stimulate emotional and sensory responses.”

The research also highlights how physical and psychological design elements work in tandem to convert browsing into buying, often before the shopper has made a conscious decision to purchase.

Dr. Peter Mohn, CEO and Owner of m1nd-set at the TR Consumer Forum 2024.

More key stats emerging from the data show that the in-store experience itself is now the most important driver of purchase (in 2025), with 46% of global shoppers citing this as their primary reason for making a purchase in travel retail – a significant rise compared to pre-Covid findings in 2019, when this factor ranked behind value and product suitability.

While value and suitability for a specific need remain critical, experiential elements, such as product discovery, sampling, brand storytelling and physical interaction, now play an equal or greater role in prompting spontaneous purchases, according to the study.

The research also reveals a variety of gender and generational differences, such as women being more likely than men to shop spontaneously, with 32% reporting impulse-driven behaviour in 2025, up from 22% in 2019.

Millennials have shown the strongest shift, with a 10-point increase in impulse purchasing. Gen Z shoppers, meanwhile, are the most impulsive overall, leaving Baby Boomers as the least likely to buy spontaneously.

Regional variation also plays a role. Travellers from Europe and the Americas are the most likely to purchase spontaneously in travel retail, reporting a 32% and 30% impulse purchase rate respectively in 2025, both up from 24% in 2019.

Spontaneous purchases by shoppers from Asia Pacific have increased from 17% in 2019 to 25% in 2025.

The role of sales staff is another critical factor at play, with the research demonstrating that while around half of shoppers interact with sales staff, those who do report overwhelmingly positive outcomes.

A significant 73% of those who engage with staff say it positively influenced their decision to purchase. Furthermore, 15% of shoppers state they would not have made a purchase at all had they not interacted with a staff member.

“Exclusivity and convenience are key impulse triggers, especially for Boomers, women and Gen Z shoppers, driving quick, emotion-led purchases in travel retail,” summarised Mohn.

“Brands and retailers should continue to prioritise emotionally engaging, sensory-rich, and personalised experiences that align with the spontaneous nature of today’s global travel retail shopper.

“Investment in proactive sales staff, digital signage and prompts, exclusive products, and convenience-based merchandising and store layouts will be key to capturing the attention and spend of the evolving GTR shopper profile.”

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