Dentsu Digital Conducts Original Survey on 'Accidental Purchasing,' Finds Nearly 1 in 5 Purchases are Serendipitous Encounters

Dentsu Digital Inc. conducted its 'Accidental Purchasing Marketing®: Accidental Purchasing Survey 2026' across 15 product/service categories to understand new trends in consumer behavior. The survey revealed that 'accidental purchasing' constitutes about 20% of consumer buying actions, alongside traditional 'planned purchasing.' This means that even if a consumer intended to buy a specific brand, a brand switch occurs in about 1 out of 5 purchases due to last-minute encounters with other products on social media or in stores. Notably, this phenomenon isn't limited to low-cost daily goods but also occurs in high-involvement categories like luxury brands (21%), life insurance (23%), and card loans (23%). This presents a significant opportunity for challenger brands, as accidental purchases are often driven by the excitement of a 'new discovery.'