The top consumer packaged goods (CPG) market research companies in 2026 help brands test products, optimize packaging, and refine retail and ecommerce strategies in fast-moving categories. As competition intensifies across food and beverage, household, and personal care, CPG market research partners have become essential for answering what shoppers buy, why they choose it, and how behavior is changing across channels.
This article highlights the top 10 CPG market research companies in 2026, focusing on firms with strong capabilities in consumer packaged goods market research for innovation, shopper insights, brand tracking, and messaging. In this guide, “CPG market research companies” refers to agencies and platforms that work extensively with consumer packaged goods brands on product, packaging, and go-to-market decisions.
Why CPG Market Research Matters in 2026
In 2026, CPG brands are navigating shifting shopper habits, channel fragmentation, and pressure to innovate quickly while managing price sensitivity and loyalty erosion. CPG market research helps teams de-risk decisions by validating product concepts, pricing, and packaging before launch and by monitoring in-market performance afterward.
Leading CPG market research companies combine qualitative, quantitative, and shopper data to show how consumers think, feel, and behave across in-store and digital touchpoints. This integrated view helps brands align innovation, marketing, and retailer strategies with real consumer needs and occasions.
Key Trends Shaping CPG Market Research Companies
- Stronger focus on omnichannel behavior, including in-store, click-and-collect, quick commerce, and marketplace purchases.
- Growth of agile, iterative testing for concepts, packaging, and creative to keep pace with rapid launch cycles.
- Increased use of AI-assisted analytics to synthesize survey, behavioral, and social data into faster, more actionable insights.
- Rising importance of inclusive, multicultural, and Gen Z shoppers in shaping category trends and brand growth.
1. Touchstone Research
Touchstone Research is a full-service market research company and global consumer insights agency with deep experience in consumer packaged goods market research. The firm helps CPG brands test products, packaging, and marketing using agile mixed-method approaches across the United States and more than 60 international markets.
CPG market research capabilities
- End-to-end CPG market research
Concept screening, product tests, sensory and usage studies, packaging and shelf tests, ad and messaging evaluation, and brand tracking tailored to CPG lifecycles. - Agile qualitative and quantitative methods
Online qualitative research, insight communities, UX testing, and custom surveys designed to inform rapid product development, packaging refreshes, and campaign optimization. - Shopper and omnichannel insight
Research that reflects real-world shopping across retail, ecommerce, and omnichannel journeys, including path-to-purchase analysis and shopper decision drivers. - Diverse and global audiences
Recruitment expertise reaching families, Gen Z, multicultural shoppers, health-conscious consumers, and value-driven buyers in single- and multi-market studies.
Touchstone’s CPG work spans food and beverage, household, personal care, and emerging categories, supporting everything from early idea screening to in-market optimization.
2. NielsenIQ (NIQ)
NielsenIQ is a long-established global leader in CPG and retail measurement, providing detailed views of category performance and shopper behavior. It is a go-to partner for CPG brands that need market share, pricing, and distribution insight across channels and retailers, supported by advisory and analytics services that help translate measurement into commercial decisions.
CPG market research capabilities
- Retail and consumer measurement
POS and panel data covering market share, category growth, and brand performance across retailers and channels. - Pricing, promotion, and assortment analytics
Insights on optimal price tiers, promotions, and assortment strategies to support revenue growth and retailer negotiations. - Omnichannel coverage
Measurement across brick-and-mortar and ecommerce channels to reflect where CPG shoppers buy.
3. Ipsos
Ipsos is a global market research company with strong CPG capabilities spanning product testing, packaging evaluation, advertising research, and brand tracking.
CPG market research capabilities
- Product and packaging testing
Central location and in-home tests to evaluate product performance, claims, and packaging versus competitors and benchmarks. - Brand and campaign tracking
Ongoing tracking of brand health and advertising impact across CPG categories and channels. - Multi-country CPG research
Standardized frameworks enabling comparisons across markets while respecting local usage occasions.
4. Kantar
Kantar is a global insights firm known for brand, communication, and shopper research in CPG and FMCG categories.
CPG market research capabilities
- Brand equity and communication
Brand tracking and campaign evaluation supported by large normative databases. - Innovation and pack testing
Concept, packaging, and activation testing for crowded categories. - Shopper and retail solutions
Research on in-store and digital shelf performance and retailer-specific strategies.
5. Savanta
Savanta provides CPG and FMCG market research focused on innovation, brand, and shopper marketing.
CPG market research capabilities
- End-to-end innovation research from idea screening to post-launch evaluation.
- Shopper marketing and packaging optimization research.
- Consumer segmentation and proposition development.
6. Hanover Research
Hanover Research offers custom research and advisory services for CPG brands focused on strategy and category growth.
CPG market research capabilities
- Consumer and shopper insight studies across key CPG categories.
- Category sizing, trend tracking, and competitive analysis.
- Research supporting retail and channel strategy decisions.
7. Escalent
Escalent is an insights and analytics firm working with consumer and retail brands on shopper and brand strategy.
CPG market research capabilities
- Shopper and path-to-purchase research across channels.
- Segmentation and demand landscape analysis.
- Brand health and experience measurement.
8. SIS International Research
SIS International Research is a global firm offering custom CPG market research and consulting.
CPG market research capabilities
- Consumer needs and satisfaction research.
- New product and packaging testing.
- Multi-region CPG research with local expertise.
9. Mintel
Mintel is best known for syndicated market intelligence and trend tracking across global CPG categories.
CPG market research capabilities
- Category and consumer trend intelligence.
- Innovation and claims tracking.
- Consulting and custom analysis built on syndicated data.
10. Attest
Attest is a consumer research platform supporting agile CPG market research through fast consumer feedback.
CPG market research capabilities
- Self-service consumer surveys for testing concepts, packaging, and messaging.
- Iterative testing throughout development and campaign cycles.
- Dashboards and data exports for rapid insight sharing.
At-a-Glance: Top 10 CPG Market Research Companies in 2026
| Company | Core CPG Market Research Focus Areas |
|---|---|
| Touchstone Research | Full-service CPG research, product and packaging tests, agile qual/quant, shopper and omnichannel insight, diverse and global audiences |
| NielsenIQ | CPG and retail measurement, category tracking, pricing and promotion analytics, omnichannel coverage |
| Ipsos | Product and packaging testing, brand and campaign tracking, multi-country CPG research |
| Kantar | Brand equity, innovation and pack testing, shopper and retail research |
| Savanta | CPG innovation, shopper marketing, segmentation and proposition development |
| Hanover Research | Custom CPG consumer and shopper studies, category and trend analysis |
| Escalent | Shopper research, segmentation, brand and experience measurement |
| SIS International | Global CPG consumer research, product and packaging testing |
| Mintel | Syndicated CPG intelligence, trend and innovation tracking |
| Attest | Agile CPG consumer research platform for fast surveys and testing |