Welcome to yet another edition of Market Mosaic, where, this week, we explore how digital restrictions triggered 2,892% VPN adoption spikes and analyse the $18 billion corporate breakup wave challenging consumer goods strategy.

We also look at how supply chain regionalisation is creating new market dynamics as remittance-dependent economies show hidden consumer vulnerabilities.

Read further, follow us and let’s dive into the insights together.

— Insights Team, Rwazi

• Sector Performance Tracker

• Technology

• Economy

• Consumer Universe

• Supply Chain
  

Can you spot the next big shift?

AI is already challenging how products are built, but only a few leaders see what’s coming next. We compiled 35+ pages of market data and predictions. Now, you can know what’s ahead.

Digital censorship drives mass VPN adoption globally

Our analysis of VPN search data shows unprecedented spikes in demand when governments attempt to restrict digital access. Nepal's social media ban generated a 2,892% increase in VPN searches, the highest recorded globally this year.

This pattern repeats across diverse markets: the UK saw 1,987% growth following age verification requirements, while the brief US TikTok ban drove searches up 827%.

These numbers tell a story beyond mere inconvenience. For Nepal's diaspora-dependent economy, where families rely on social media to maintain connections with workers abroad, digital restrictions effectively severed economic lifelines.

Young consumers, in particular, demonstrated they are willing to take extraordinary measures to keep their digital freedoms.

The technology sector is also responding fast to this demand. VPN providers are seeing exponential growth, while social media platforms are investing heavily in circumvention technologies.

The hidden fragility of remittance-dependent economies

The global economy increasingly relies on a hidden pillar: money sent home by workers living abroad.

Our analysis shows that for many nations, these remittances are beyond supplemental income, but also the economic oxygen. Tonga leads with nearly 50% of GDP from remittances, followed by Tajikistan at 47.9% and Nepal at 33.1%.

This dependency now creates a complex consumer market. In remittance-heavy economies, purchasing power fluctuates based on employment conditions in countries with which they have a significant economic relationship.

Consumer behavior in these markets follows unique patterns. Spending is often concentrated around remittance arrival dates, creating predictable cycles of consumption and saving.

Corporate breakups in CPG strategy

A wave of major separations is challenging the consumer goods market as giants like Kraft Heinz, Keurig Dr Pepper, and Unilever break apart to better serve rising consumer preferences.

Kraft Heinz's decision to split into two companies, one focused on high-growth sauces and seasonings, another on slower-growth grocery staples, shows a broader recognition that diverse product portfolios are struggling to meet specialised consumer demands.

Similarly, Keurig Dr Pepper's planned separation into North American beverages and global coffee operations acknowledges that different consumer segments require different approaches.

The new strategy of "appearing small but being big" allows companies to treat individual product lines with entrepreneurial focus while maintaining the resources of large corporations.

This addresses consumer demand for authenticity and innovation that mega-portfolios often struggle to deliver.

Geopolitical tensions accelerate supply chain regionalization

Apple's launch of the iPhone 17, with all U.S.-bound models produced entirely in India, is a watershed moment in the global supply chain driven by both geopolitical tensions and consumer preferences.

This is the first time Apple has manufactured all variants of a new iPhone outside China from launch day, signalling the success of its multi-year diversification strategy.

The move required overcoming significant challenges, including restrictions on Chinese workers and equipment, which Apple addressed by bringing specialised workers from Taiwan and Vietnam.

The success has broader implications: India has now surpassed China as the leading smartphone exporter to the U.S. market.

This shift shows a consumer acceptance of alternative manufacturing sources, particularly when companies communicate supply chain diversification as a risk management and quality assurance measure.

Spotting trends is easy. Acting on them before your competitors do, that’s the challenge.

Sena was built to help teams move from insight to action faster, whether it’s entering new markets, reallocating resources, or adjusting strategy in real time.

By Q4, your competitors will already be executing this

Top executives are revising their 2025 strategies with insights from our Consumer Insights Report: H1 2025, a comprehensive 35+ page analysis that includes predictions and real-time market data, fueling AI-driven innovation.

Inside this consumer insight report:

• AI + consumer feedback reshaping product innovation

• Untapped global market opportunities

• Benchmarks from companies already moving ahead

This is your opportunity to access the same intelligence guiding C-suite decisions worldwide.

Share the Market Mosaic with decision-makers in your circle. After 3 successful referrals, you will gain direct access to our insights discovery call with our experts, designed to help leaders like you turn insights into strategy.

Your referral count: 0

Before You Go…

Leaving already? Not so fast. Our published data stories are packed with the kind of actionable insights you will wish you’d seen sooner:

• U.S. economy 2025: Inflation’s lasting impact on consumer spending

• Cloud wars: AWS, Azure, and Google battle for the future of computing

• Speed, quality, personalisation: the new consumer demands built by robots