Gen Z Is Paying Premium for Real Life, and Brands Are Taking Note

By Amara Osei

74% of Gen Z Americans say they wish they could more easily disconnect from their devices, according to a 2026 report by Quad and The Harris Poll. Nearly half—49%—report feeling drained by scrolling on social media. The generation that grew up with phones in hand is now the one pushing hardest to put them down.

The report frames the shift bluntly: “real is the new premium.” Physical experiences and analog objects have become status goods, while screens deliver fatigue.

What's driving the digital fatigue?

The report points to exhaustion from scrolling, texting, emailing and using AI tools. Gen Z leads every fatigue metric. Roughly a third of older generations share the feeling, but younger consumers feel it most.

Americans are responding in different ways. Some delete apps. Some leave the phone at home. Gen Z is going further and actively shopping for alternatives.

The numbers back that up. 28% of Gen Z intentionally attend phone-free experiences, and 25% buy analog alternatives to digital devices. Both rates run higher than the figures for all Americans polled.

Is this a niche trend or a broad consumer shift?

It's broad. Around 80% of Americans told Quad and The Harris Poll they're drawn to real-world experiences that don't revolve around screens. That's not a Gen Z quirk; it's a mainstream preference with its sharpest edge among the youngest consumers.

The pull toward the physical is also fueling collectibles—sneakers, toys and trading cards. 79% of Gen Z say collecting objects makes them feel more connected to the real world. Among the general population, 84% say they prefer physical objects over digital ones.

And resale value isn't the engine. Respondents cited nostalgia, self-expression and what the report describes as the simple love of interacting with a physical object.

What does this mean for brands and retailers?

Store design has become a traffic driver. 63% of Americans said they might visit a store on design alone, and the number climbs to 76% for Gen Z and Millennials.

Young customers also want somewhere to stay, not just somewhere to shop. Three out of four Gen Z and Millennial respondents said they look for spaces to sit, work or meet friends—turning retail floors into places people linger.

For brands chasing younger buyers, the report's implication is direct: investment in physical spaces and tangible products now functions as customer acquisition, not legacy overhead. The consumers hardest to reach on a screen are the ones most willing to walk through a door.