The evolution of indulgence: what consumers crave when pleasure needs permission

Indulgence has always been part of consumer life. But what indulgence means to consumers has changed. No longer defined by old parameters, indulgence today is more nuanced, shaped by diverse and evolving values.

To better understand this evolution, we set out to explore how consumers define and experience indulgence in their daily lives. Toluna’s Discovery Observation team analyzed 5.2 million public online conversations posted between 2023 and 2025 across 10 global markets. The analysis spans a wide range of categories, including food and beverage, beauty, leisure, travel, technology, and everyday consumer experiences.