In a new survey of teens, Nike and Chick-fil-A remain the top brands among Generation Z.
According to the survey conducted by Piper Sandler, 15% of teens say Chick-fil-A is their favorite restaurant, with 12% saying Starbucks is their favorite. Chipotle, McDonald’s and Olive Garden rounded out the top 5.
Nike remains the most popular footwear and clothing brand for adolescents. The survey found that 60% of teens said Nike is their favorite shoe brand, with Converse, Adidas, Vans and Crocs also in the top 5. Nike’s popularity has grown in recent years. In early 2020, 47% of teens said Nike was their favorite footwear brand.
Nike was also their top clothing brand at 31%. Lululemon, American Eagle, H&M and Shein were also in the top 5.
“Within apparel, athletic is still the dominant trend, with Nike remaining strong and Lululemon hitting new highs. Vans fell out of the top 10 favorite apparel brands. Interestingly, the athletic apparel trend may be peaking with 44% of upper-income teens preferring apparel brands that are ‘athletic,’ flat to our Spring 2022 survey,” said Edward Yruma, senior research analyst with Piper Sandler.
While older adults cite the economy as one of the top issues heading into next month’s election, teens say the environment is the No. 1 issue they’re concerned with, with abortion ranking No. 2 and racial equality at No. 3.
Inflation and gas prices round out the top 5.
The survey found a spike in abortion concerns after the Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade earlier this year.
“GenZ is known to be a conscious generation, and teens this fall cited the environment as their top concern. 53% of consumers consider carbon footprint when making purchase decisions. Interestingly, the Russia/Ukraine invasion was the top concern in Spring 2022 but did not make the top 10 in Fall 2022. Abortion moved up to the No. 2 concern,” said Yruma.