Top Consultancies Report Rising Holiday Shopping Fatigue; Clinicians Explain How to Maintain Wellbeing
Illustration of a girl stressed due to holiday shopping
As Deloitte, PwC, and Accenture holiday shopping reports warn of record cognitive stress and rising indecision this holiday season, clinicians explain why constant decision-making drains the brain, and what can be done to support it.
November 17, 2025. Three of the world’s leading consultancies, Deloitte, PwC, and Accenture, have recently released reports on holiday shopping. They highlight record levels of cognitive stress and rising indecision as key features of the coming season. Clinicians warn that, beyond budget tightening and economic instability, this is leading us to a global cognitive burnout.
All three reports represent different sides of holiday shopping struggles. Deloitte’s Holiday Retail Survey 2025 finds that 58% of consumers describe holiday shopping as stressful, while Accenture reports that 85% of online shoppers abandon their carts due to frustration or indecision. PwC’s Holiday Outlook 2025 shows that 84% expect to cut back spending.
“People aren’t just overwhelmed by buying. They are mentally strained by constant decision-making,” said Dr. Hannah Nearney, clinical psychiatrist and UK Medical Director at Flow Neuroscience, a company that develops brain stimulation solutions for mental wellbeing. “When the brain gets overloaded like that, we quickly see stress “mode” kicking in which can worsen other problems like anxiety and depression.”
Dr. Nearney adds that difficulties can include low mood, poor concentration, and overwhelm as a result of decision fatigue overloading the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s region responsible for planning and emotional regulation.
What amplifies the decision fatigue during this holiday shopping season is financial pressure, consultancies’ data shows.
For example, Deloitte reports that 57% of consumers expect the economy to weaken in the next six months. The firm says this is its most negative sentiment in nearly 30 years.
“Economic uncertainty keeps the brain and nervous system in a constant state of anxiety and alertness,” said Dr. Nearney. “This makes it harder for people to manage holiday shopping and planning. Thus, we can’t simply enjoy the season.”
While cognitive burnout is on the rise, one demographic of consumers seems to be resisting it more than others.
According to PwC’s report, Gen Z plans to reduce holiday spending by 23%, more than any other age group, while showing a growing interest in purchases related to wellness and mental health.
“Younger people are realising that mental energy is finite,” she said. “And this is great, to be honest. They’re beginning to view focus and calm as resources worth protecting.”
This shift in priorities appears visible in practice, too, Dr. Nearney adds. A growing number of younger adults are beginning to use mental health devices to manage stress before it escalates into burnout. One of such tools are brain stimulation headsets that are gaining popularity.
“While it’s important to choose the right method that works for you, at-home solutions where you target the brain regions responsible for stress and anxiety are becoming more popular with increasing clinical research to support that,” Dr. Nearney said. “People who incorporate this into their routines often report an improvement in their wellbeing within a matter of weeks, so this may be a suitable practice for some to implement ahead of the predictable “holiday stressor” season.”
Clinical research shows that brain stimulation therapy can improve emotional regulation, mood, sleep, and focus. It can also ease anxiety: based on over 18,800 samples of real-world data, 66% of people using a Flow brain stimulation device reported improvement after three weeks of regular use.
“The answer to cognitive burnout this holiday season is not avoiding decisions, but practicing self-care,” concludes Dr. Nearney. “And this can manifest in different forms, be it meditation, physical activity, “batch” decision-making ahead of hitting the online deals, pacing your shopping to include breaks, taking screen breaks or considering incorporating brain stimulation into your routine.”
About Flow Neuroscience
Flow Neuroscience is a healthcare company that focuses on tDCS therapies and devices. In 2016, it was co-founded in Sweden by Daniel Mansson, a clinical psychologist, and Erik Rehn, an engineer. Erin Lee joined as CEO in 2022, having previously worked at Google, Uber and Babylon, and the company is now based in the UK. Flow is the only at-home medical tDCS device with clinically proven effectiveness in treating depression. It is not only used by the National Health Service (NHS), but also available and has passed regulations in Europe, Norway, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.
Grocery shopping isn’t always easy. It is common to get lost amongst the fancy processed foods, refined sugars and tempting baked goods. To learn how to grocery shop for your health it takes practice. Just like learning to ride a bike takes time so does healthy grocery shopping. You need to choose items you like to eat and not force yourself to buy things that will just end up rotting in your fridge. Also choosing a variety of foods from all four food groups can help you achieve a balanced, healthy eating plan. Here are some healthy grocery shopping tips to help you keep it healthy at the grocery store and choose foods that are good for you.
Make a plan
When you go to the store arrive with a list of what you want to buy that way you are less likely to act on impulse. If you plan the night before what you want to cook for the next few days you can prepare a list of all the food and ingredients that you need to pick up. If you fail to plan you plan to fail. And don’t add on any new items that you haven’t planned for. Stay on track and don't get distracted by fancy displays or temptations.
Shop on the outside Aisles
Stay on the outside of the aisles. Most processed food is on the shelves in the middle and the fresh and healthy ingredients are on the perimeters. Try to buy a variety of greens and fruits. The brighter the colours in the produce the more packed full of nutrients that there are. If you can stay free of processed foods the more healthy you will be.
Always read the label
Be Smart and If you do venture into the aisle try to avoid foods that contain more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce. According to Eat Right Ontario “Use the Nutrition Facts table on food labels to choose nutritious products with less fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and sodium. The % Daily Value tells you if the food has a little or a lot of a particular nutrient. 5% DV means a food has a little of a nutrient. 15% DV means a food has a lot of a nutrient. Remember that the calorie and nutrient content that is listed is based on the amount of food specified at the top of the table.” Also remember to try buy food that is low in sodium, artificial flavours and preservatives.
Be careful with dairy
Dairy can be good but in moderation. A good way to stay healthy with cheese or dairy products is to choose lower fat milk and alternatives. Buy skim, 1% or 2% milk or a milk alternative such as almond, rice or coconut. You can always take your time to compare the Nutrition Facts table on packaged foods to help you select lower fat milk alternatives like low fat yogurt and cheeses.
Shop with your children
Bring your kids with you to help teach them the importance of healthy eating. Children may forget what you say but they will always remember what you did. If you have older kids you can give them each part of the list and create a scavenger hunt. This make shopping fun for the whole family.
Say no to commercial marketing
By commercial marketing we mean cartoons and characters that are targeting your children. If you don't want you or your kids eating junk food, definitely don't have them in the house. These include cereals, bars and bags that have cute writing, sponsored marketing or have an animal that is depicted by a cartoon. Most of the time this food is packed with additives, preservatives, excess sodium and processed sugars.
Use Coupons
Don’t be afraid to cut up some coupons to save money. Yes sometimes eating healthy and/or organic can be a bit expensive, but if you look for deals and use coupons it doesn't have to be. You can find lots of great deals online or in your local flyers. This will help cut the costs and help you organize your shopping trip before you even leave your house.
Shop local
Healthy food that is grown locally can often times be much more affordable from farms and markets than your giant chain supermarket. Google a list of local markets and farms and don’t be afraid to try and make a deal if you plan on using them a lot. And nothing is better than supporting local businesses.
If you're on a budget
If you are on a budget or cant get to a local market or farm and have to go to the big chain grocery and the money in your pocket doesn’t agree with the cost of fresh food and produce it is ok to choose frozen or canned vegetables and fruits in water. Just make sure that there are no added sugars, saturated and trans fat, or salt.
Use your own self motivation
Go shopping after workout but only if you have had a post workout shake or meal. After a good sweat and have training on your mind, you're less likely to buy junk that will reject everything you just did. Plus you don’t want all that hard work in the gym to just be reversed by making a bad impulsive choice.
You can learn how to make healthy grocery shopping a habit and you can even involve your children. Plan ahead thinking about all of the food groups, try to stick to foods that you and your family enjoy, and don’t be scared to ask questions when you go to the grocery store, farm or market and remember if it's not fresh always check the label and the ingredients that go into the food that you are consuming. Happy healthy grocery shopping!
The Impact of Online Shopping on Grocery Prices: AAEA Member Research
Why not going to your grocery store could actually cost you more at checkout
Online shopping is becoming a way of life. The number of pointing and clicking instead of standing in line at the store is increasing at an amazing rate. A recent study estimates online retail will be a half-a-trillion dollar business by 2020.
More recently the trend of online shopping for groceries has seen major growth. Whether it’s buying from a store’s website or make-at-home meals, it’s estimated that 12 percent of all food shopping will be done online in the next three years.
Some people think it’s much easier to search online than going down the grocery store aisles, but could this trend actually hurt consumers?
That’s the focus of “Attribute Search in Online Retailing,” a paper authored by Timothy Richards of Arizona State University and Steve Hamilton of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and selected for the American Journal of Agricultural Economics.
“People are really concerned about the price of groceries,” Richards said. “But if they think buying everything online is going to mean lower food prices, they have another thing coming.”
Richards and his co-authors analyzed the spending habits of households participating in the comScore Web Behavior Panel to assess searches, purchases, and prices. So what is driving the price increase compared to stopping by your local store? To access the paper, or to set up an interview with the author, please contact Jay Saunders in the AAEA Business Office.
ABOUT AAEA: Established in 1910, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with 2,500 members in more than 20 countries. Members of the AAEA work in academic or government institutions as well as in industry and not-for-profit organizations, and engage in a variety of research, teaching, and outreach activities in the areas of agriculture, the environment, food, health, and international development. The AAEA publishes two journals, the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy, as well as the online magazine Choices. To learn more, visit www.aaea.org.
Wellness Rewards App Blazes a Path Across Canada
Carrot Rewards has been enjoying tremendous success since its debut earlier this year
TORONTO, June 16, 2016 /CNW/ - Carrot Rewards, a ground-breaking free app that rewards Canadians for living healthier, launched on Tuesday in Newfoundland and Labrador, with unprecedented results. In just 24 hours, almost 2% of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians downloaded the app and began earning points. The outstanding numbers in NL—the second province to roll out the app— mirror those seen in British Columbia, where over 800,000 out of more than 1 million health offers have been completed, with tens of millions of points earned so far.
"The response to Carrot has been extraordinary and we are particularly proud to have Newfoundland and Labrador become the second jurisdiction in the world where Carrot is running," says Andreas Souvaliotis, Founder and CEO of Carrot developer, Social Change Rewards.
Harnessing the popularity of loyalty points and the prevalence of smartphones, Carrot Rewards allows users to earn points from participating loyalty programs for making better lifestyle choices. Users are rewarded for downloading and sharing the app and for each time they engage with it – whether through taking a quiz, making healthy lifestyle choices or walking a few more steps each day thanks to a new step tracking feature.
Carrot was developed with the support of founding partners, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the British Columbia Ministry of Health. Other partners include the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and a cross-sectoral coalition made up of loyalty partners and three of the leading health charities in Canada, the Heart & Stroke Foundation, the Canadian Diabetes Association and YMCA Canada.
To learn more about Carrot and how it's championing a completely new way of engaging citizens toward healthier behaviours, please watch our video, Reinventing Responsible Marketing.
Have you ever gone to a health food store, drug store or supplement shop in hopes of finding supplements, foods and information that will help you reach your goals? Have you ever gotten there and felt overwhelmed with mass amounts of products, foods and bottles? We all have had that experience. I know I have in the past and my current clients get this feeling all the time. Its hard when you are new to the healthy lifestyle to know what you should or should not be taking. I have had little to no help from the staff at these places.
As a personal trainer I know I want my clients to take good clean, tested and high quality products. I often give them a list of options and they still end up emailing, face booking or texting me from the store because the person behind the counter is telling them something different that I did. And most often times the information is wrong. I want to send my clients to a well established business but also where the staff is knowable, helpful and not just trying to sell you the most expensive product so that they can make a better commission.
According to their site "At Peaches & Green, we want our customers to feel confident that every product they purchase has been thoroughly reviewed for its integrity and efficacy. As one of the leading boutique health food stores in Toronto, we carry a wide variety of nutritional supplements, botanical remedies, and homeopathics. We also have a carefully selected assortment of therapeutic skin & body care, as well as delicious whole foods chosen especially for those with food sensitivities and dietary restrictions.
We support suppliers and manufacturers in our industry who are leaders in product innovation and research. Like us, they share a commitment to protecting our environment, and promoting the health of the individuals in the communities we work and live in. Visit our Products page for a complete list of the brands available. Peaches & Green is a proud Health First Network Member store - learn more about Canada's leading independent health & wellness retailers here."
I discovered Peaches and Green a few weeks ago when I was contacted to go in and experience the shop for myself. I said yes and made my way east where they are located on 1561 Bayview Avenue in Toronto. Peaches & Green is a specialty health food store in Toronto dedicated to supporting individuals on their path to wellness through natural health products and education. Located in the heart of Leaside, we have been the top destination for natural health and wellness products for over 25 years. I was greeted immediately by a smiling woman named Elizabeth and then George the owner. They were smiling and friendly from the start. Its always nice to have a warm welcome. They told me about the history of the store, the types of products that they carry and they really seemed to have a passion and desire to help give people good knowledge and help them get towards their goals. George was so intelligent about the products and the science behind them. I also discovered he knows a lot of Toronto health professionals that I know and respect. This is comforting and just really shows what 25 years of experience can provide.
After speaking with both George and Elizabeth and getting to experience the store first hand I high recommend that you shop for your health food products at Peaches and Green. I left with some new protein, himalayan sea salts and lots of yummy samples. If you go to do you health food shopping at Peaches and Green you won't feel lost and you will leave confident that you have got the products that you need to help you get to where you want to go!
Thank you Peaches and Green for serving our community so well. I wish you all the success in the world for the next 24 years!
If you have any inquiries or want to check out the store yourself:
info@peachesandgreen.com
Tel : 416 488 6321
Fax : 416 488 7061
Store Hours:
M - F : 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Sat : 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Did you know about FL2? FL2- Just Fab Has Mens Line
I think that this is pretty amazing. How many ladies shopping sites are there out there? A LOT! Shout out to Just Fab/Fabletics for creating FL2. This gives men who are looking for affordable workout wear a place to shop. http://www.fabletics.com/sets There are some great fashionable items on the site. They are also affordable. I am not sure if they are good quality or not but I would assume so as they take pride in a good brand on their womans side of things. You can definitely Train It Right in these clothes guys!
Do you have someone on your holiday gift list that loves health and fitness? Not sure what to get them? Here is your solution. Well here are the Train It Right Top 10 gifts for the fitness enthusiast this holiday season. Happy Holidays! Train It Right!
This juicer is quiet, easy to clean, No heat build up, allowing for no loss of enzymes so that you can enjoy nutrient-rich juice full of live enzymes, doesn't foam or clog, and User friendly - easy to assemble, operate and clean.
You can't go wrong with a set of wireless headphones for your fitness enthusiast because if they workout hard they don't what any messy wires getting in the way of their workout. Freedom to move is a blessing during a tough sweaty workout.
These are available for both men and women and they are one of the most comfortable workout pants out there. Your workout will love to get a pair of these as a holiday present. They also are available in many colours and patterns.
This is a great bag for the fitness competition or the business man who is always on the go. It allows them to pack their food in a stylish backpack and bring it with them wherever they go.
This Protein shaker allows you to store protein or other supplements right inside the core. It saves space and lets you bring protein or supplements with you all day long.
Alicia Bell at Train It Right provides a great online personal training program that you can access anywhere. The workouts are personalized for at home or in the gym. You have access to videos from apps to see the exact exercises and it is completely affordable.
I am really loving Chyna's style these days! I wear workout clothes everyday and she keeps it stylish with this galaxy adidas leggings and top! Looking good girl!
