Wellbeing beats wellness in U.S., U.K. and Germany study

By AI, Created 5:32 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – A new survey of 2,648 adults in the U.S., U.K. and Germany finds consumers now see wellbeing as the goal, with wellness activities serving as inputs. The report also points to a large global cohort of younger adults and a weakly defined brand leader in wellness hospitality.

Why it matters: - The survey suggests the health-and-wellness market is shifting from activity-based “wellness” to outcome-based “wellbeing.” - That changes how brands may need to sell products, travel, and services: consumers appear to care more about how they feel than how many activities they complete. - The report also points to a sizable global consumer cohort with spending power and high engagement, which could reshape category targeting.

What happened: - Civano Advisors and Yesawich Holding released WELLSurvey 2.0, a probability survey of 2,648 adults ages 25 to 74 in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany. - The survey was fielded online in November 2025. - The sample included 1,026 respondents in the U.S., 804 in the U.K. and 818 in Germany. - All respondents came from households in the top half of annual household income in their country.

The details: - 50% of respondents said they are more interested in improving their wellbeing than their wellness. - 80% associated wellbeing with longevity. - 74% said they measure wellbeing by how hopeful, joyful and energized they feel. - The report says wellness activities are now seen as inputs, wellbeing as the integrated outcome, and longevity as the durability of that outcome over time. - WELLZoomers, defined as adults ages 25 to 44, emerged as the most consequential consumer segment in the category. - The report estimates WELLZoomers represent a global market with annual spending above $540 billion. - Despite reporting the highest levels of stress, anxiety and financial concern, WELLZoomers also show strong participation in wellness behaviors. - 95% of WELLZoomers exercise regularly. - 79% track health metrics. - 71% use spa or alternative therapies. - 86% plan to visit a wellness facility within the next 12 months. - Of 11 product and service claims tested, three cleared majority trust: “clinically proven” at 71%, “recommended by a scientist or medical professional” at 67%, and “evidence-based” at 66%. - 83% of respondents said they get health information from social media. - 49% said that information is reliable. - In wellness hospitality, 53% of respondents chose “none of the above” when shown 36 prominent resort brands. - Six Senses and Canyon Ranch led all brands at 10% each. - Six Senses reached 17% among WELLZoomers, the only clear generational signal in the category. - The report is available here.

Between the lines: - The findings suggest emotional state has become the main scorecard for health behavior, not activity volume. - The gap between high social-media use and lower trust suggests consumers may be exposed to health content without finding it credible. - Weak brand preference in wellness hospitality points to an open category with no dominant leader. - The strong response from WELLZoomers suggests younger adults may be setting the pace for how the market defines wellbeing.

What’s next: - Civano Advisors and Yesawich Holding are likely to use the findings to frame where wellness travel, hospitality and consumer-health brands can win next. - The report’s emphasis on science-backed claims suggests credibility may become a bigger competitive advantage across the category. - The generational split in brand appeal may push operators to tailor products and messaging more closely to WELLZoomers.

The bottom line: - In this survey, wellbeing is now the destination, and wellness is just the route.