What “Weird” Markets Reveal About Youth
Published: January 2026
Global consumer research often concentrates on the same familiar markets. The United States, Western Europe, major Asian economies. These regions matter, but they do not reveal the full picture of youth behaviour.
Some of the most valuable insights emerge elsewhere, in smaller, under-researched, or structurally different markets. These countries expose how young consumers behave when income levels differ, product choice is limited, traditions remain strong, or global marketing is less dominant. For brands, these environments function as early-warning systems. They reveal friction points, unmet needs, and behavioural patterns before they appear in mainstream markets.
That is why research in so-called “weird” markets is not a curiosity. It is a strategic advantage.
Why “Weird” Countries Offer Surprisingly Valuable Insights
“Weird” usually means under-researched. These are countries where consumer behaviour is shaped less by global norms and more by local culture, tradition, access, and habit.
When brands ignore these markets, they miss early signals. They miss how young consumers behave when choice is limited. They miss what happens when price sensitivity is high. And they miss how habits form without constant exposure to global marketing.
Studying these countries forces researchers to drop assumptions. There’s no shortcut to data. No easy benchmarks. You actually have to understand people.
That’s where the real learning begins.
Mexico: When Youth Sugar Consumption Breaks All Assumptions
Mexico illustrates why global averages can mislead. A large-scale study published in The BMJ, analysing sugar-sweetened beverage intake among children and adolescents in 185 countries, shows that Mexican youth consume an average of 10.1 servings of sugary drinks per week. This places them among the highest consumers worldwide.
The number alone is striking, but the context is even more revealing. Mexico has implemented sugar taxes and sustained public health campaigns aimed at reducing sugar intake. Yet sugary drinks remain deeply embedded in daily routines, particularly among young people.
The lesson is clear. Awareness does not automatically change behaviour. Culture, habit, and taste continue to drive choice. For brands, Mexico demonstrates that offering healthier alternatives is not enough. Products must fit seamlessly into existing social and consumption patterns.
Uganda: High Consumption Beyond Expected Markets
Uganda delivers another unexpected insight from the same BMJ study. Youth consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages averages 6.9 servings per week, exceeding levels in many wealthier and more industrialised countries.
Uganda rarely features in global beverage trend conversations. However, the data reveal strong demand for sweetened drinks among young consumers. This shows that consumption patterns are not driven by income or Westernisation alone. Climate, local availability, and taste preferences play a decisive role.
For researchers, Uganda challenges the idea that “emerging market” automatically means “low consumption”. For brands, it signals where future category growth and health-related regulation may develop next.
India and Bangladesh: The Enduring Power of Tradition
In India and Bangladesh, youth food behaviour differs sharply from Western markets. Global nutrition data show extremely low consumption of ultra-processed and sugar-sweetened products. Youth in both countries consume approximately 0.3 servings of sugary beverages per week, among the lowest levels recorded worldwide.
This is not the result of wellness trends or sustainability messaging. It is driven by daily routines. Home-cooked meals, traditional drinks, and family eating structures naturally limit overconsumption.
For food brands, the insight is critical. In markets where habits are deeply rooted, behaviour shifts only when routines change. New products alone rarely drive adoption.
Cambodia and Timor-Leste: Sustainability as Everyday Practice
In Cambodia and Timor-Leste, sustainability rarely appears as a consumer value. Yet many youth behaviours align closely with sustainable consumption. Local sourcing, minimal packaging, reuse, and low food waste remain common.
According to FAO and World Bank data, informal food systems and local markets dominate youth consumption in these countries, significantly reducing packaging and transport emissions.
This shows that sustainability often begins as a habit, not ideology. For brands, sustainability messaging resonates only when it reflects existing behaviours rather than attempting to impose new ones.
Indonesia and the Philippines: Digital Platforms as Infrastructure
Youth digital behaviour in Southeast Asia challenges many Western assumptions. In Indonesia and the Philippines, young people spend some of the highest daily hours on social media globally, often using platforms as tools for income, education, and community, not only entertainment.
According to DataReportal, average daily social media use among youth in the Philippines exceeds four hours per day.
High screen time here signals participation, not passive consumption. For brands, this reframes digital strategy from content broadcasting toward platform-based services and community engagement.
What These Overlooked Markets Reveal
Placed side by side, these markets highlight one consistent truth. Youth behaviour is shaped locally.
In Mexico, sugary drinks are socially embedded.
In Uganda, sweet beverages thrive beyond expected income levels.
In India and Bangladesh, tradition anchors daily food habits.
This diversity explains why universal global strategies underperform. It also explains why under-researched markets often reveal emerging patterns before they surface elsewhere.
They help answer strategic questions such as:
Where will sugar reduction encounter resistance?
Where will functional and low-sugar categories grow fastest?
Where do habits override health messaging?
How does behaviour shift when product choice is limited?
Lessons From Research Across These Markets
Three recurring lessons emerge.
First, assumptions fail quickly when confronted with local reality.
Second, youth share values globally, but their daily habits differ significantly.
Third, early signals often appear in smaller or overlooked markets before reaching mainstream ones.
Research depth matters more than market size. A deeply understood small market often delivers more actionable insight than surface-level data from a large one.
Discover more trends among 15-30 y.o. in Youth Pulse Report
Opeepl Youth Pulse is a bi-annual study that keeps pulse on the latest developments in the youth market. Discover key youth trends in consumer confidence, media habits, attitudes, values, and five major categories: Food, Beverages, Alcohol, Fashion, and Personal Care.