The CPG Ad Friction Report: Gen Z Edition

Gen Z is reshaping the way CPG brands think about digital grocery shopping, and they’re exposing friction points that slow shoppers down. Building on findings from our original survey of 1,000+ U.S. consumers , The Friction Factor Report: Gen Z Edition takes a closer look at how this generation with growing buying power navigates product discovery, list building, and online purchasing.

What we found is clear: Gen Z’s expectations for speed, simplicity, and low-lift pathways are redefining what “good” looks like in the digital aisle. They’re quick to abandon complicated flows, sensitive to unnecessary redirects or required logins, and more likely to convert when given flexible options such as saving items for later.

In this blog, we’ll explore four ways Gen Z experiences digital ad friction, what their behaviors reveal about broader shopper trends, and how CPG brands can reduce barriers that stand between intent and action.

Download the full report here.

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1 | Too Many Steps? Gen Z Drops Off Fast

Gen Z is highly sensitive to multi-step experiences following seeing a digital ad for a CPG product they like. After just two steps, nearly half (49.3%) are less likely to buy. At three steps, drop-off climbs to 68.8%, and at four steps, most abandon the journey completely.

For CPG brands, this means that every additional page load, click, or delay chips away at intent. Streamlining high-friction touchpoints, like product discovery, retailer handoffs, and checkout, has never mattered more.

2 | Interruptions Break the Flow, and the Sale

Required account logins remain one of the most disruptive elements in the digital aisle.

Nearly one-third of Gen Z shoppers say a mandatory login makes them much less likely to purchase, while almost half say it somewhat reduces the likelihood. For a generation accustomed to uninterrupted mobile browsing, logins feel like unnecessary speed bumps.

Removing interruptions keeps momentum intact.

3| Let Gen Z Chooose Their Next Step

Flexibility matters just as much as speed.

Nearly 70% of Gen Z shoppers say a forced redirect makes them less likely to buy. Pulling them out of what they’re doing, planning a grocery list, browsing content, or multitasking, disrupts intent and creates a mental reset.

Allowing shoppers to decide what happens next keeps them engaged in ways that traditional click-through paths do not.

4 | Gen Z Chooses When to Buy

Immediate conversion isn’t the norm.

Most Gen Z shoppers rarely buy right after seeing an ad. But when they can easily save a product for later, 78% say they’re more likely to take action.

This supports one of the strongest signals in our research: enabling low-lift, future-focused actions isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s a core conversion driver.

AdAdapted’s Take: Reduce Friction to Win Gen Z

Gen Z isn’t looking for shortcuts, they’re expecting them.

AdAdapted helps CPG brands meet these expectations by connecting with shoppers inside the mobile apps and online where planning and list-building already happen. With one-click add-to-list tech, and zero redirects brands can:

• Reach Gen Z where intent forms.
• Remove the steps that cause drop-off.
• Capture action in the moment.
• Convert when the shopper is ready.

Small Friction Points, Big Impact

The Friction Factor Report: Gen Z Edition shows how even micro-barriers can change the outcome of a campaign. By offering flexible paths to action, whether immediate or saved for later, brands can align with Gen Z’s real-world behaviors and drive stronger results across the digital aisle.

Ready to reduce friction in your campaigns?
Let’s talk.