January always invites us to look forward, and one word already keeps being repeated in our initial internal meetings.
Actionability.
Not just data, or insight or even strategy on its own.
These days, guessing is expensive. And knowing things, while useful, is no longer enough. Insight has to do something.
This is where consumer insight research and market intelligence stop being “nice to have” and start becoming essential tools for growth.
Knowing Isn’t the Goal. Change Is.
Whether we’re exploring why Gen Z in Belfast report rising loneliness, or examining how tourism can become genuinely sustainable rather than just well-intentioned, the end goal is the same.
It’s not insight for insight’s sake. It’s insight that leads to better decisions, faster moves, and meaningful change.
Strong customer understanding comes from blending human stories with behavioural data, not relying on assumptions or outdated thinking. That’s how organisations move from observation to action.
From Information to Impact
One of the clearest examples of this shift was our recent white paper, The Christmas Checkout. It wasn’t about adding to the seasonal noise or producing another retrospective report.
It demonstrated how brands can use retail market intelligence and consumer behaviour research in real time, helping them navigate uncertainty and uncover opportunity while others were still waiting for reports.
This is what research-led decision making looks like when it’s done properly: timely, focused, and designed to be used.
What “Actionability” Means to Us in 2026
Here’s how that thinking is shaping our approach to strategic insight going forward.
- Less fluff. More function.
We turn complex behavioural data into practical insight. Not slides that sit on a shelf, but clear recommendations that act like brand “insurance policies”: insight-led, strategic, and ready to implement. - Speed over staleness.
If it takes three months to report on consumer behaviour, the world has already moved on. Agile consumer insight research allows us to move quickly from interviews to insight to action. - People first. Always.
Our work on Wellbeing in the Workplace reinforced something we strongly believe: when people are supported, their thinking improves. Better thinking leads to better insight, and better insight delivers stronger outcomes for clients.
The Quiet Engine Behind Sustainable Growth
Market intelligence and consumer insight may be the quieter cousin of advertising, but they are often the difference between growth and costly missteps.
They help organisations:
- Reduce risk through deeper customer understanding
- Make confident, research-led decisions
- Build strategies grounded in real consumer behaviour
In uncertain markets, strategic insight isn’t a luxury. It’s how businesses stay relevant.
If 2026 is asking anything of leaders, it’s this: clarity that leads to action. At FN Research, we believe insight should always earn its place by driving decisions, not just informing them.
If you’re curious about how consumer insight research, market intelligence, or retail market intelligence could help you understand your customers better, and act on that understanding, drop me an email fiona@fnresearch.co.uk.
Because insight only matters when it changes what you do next.