Product discovery in Sri Lanka has undergone a permanent digital shift, with digital channels now influencing 51% of consumer purchase decisions, up sharply from 32% in 2020. According to findings from the BCG-Ceylon Chamber Consumer Study across all nine provinces, online touchpoints are dominating the pre-purchase evaluation phase. While word-of-mouth remains the overall leading source of influence at 66%, digital channels, led by YouTube and social media platforms running nearly 2x ahead of traditional search, are increasingly shaping what enters the consumer's buying shortlist.

Simultaneously, Generative AI is swiftly emerging as a new discovery frontier among tech-savvy cohorts. Broad national connectivity has enabled 55% consumer awareness of GenAI tools, with 18% having already adopted platforms like ChatGPT, Copilot and Google Gemini. Notably, one in three GenAI users (33%) actively leverages AI for brand research and product recommendations. Adoption is steepest among younger, urban, and affluent demographics, signaling an urgent need for retail brands and marketers to optimize for AI-mediated discovery alongside video-led digital campaigns.

This report is based on findings from "The Changing Path to Purchase in Sri Lanka" (October 2026), a joint study conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. Boston Consulting Group is a global strategic consulting firm with over 60 years of domain expertise, whose Center for Customer Insight (CCI) led the research. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, established in 1839, is South Asia’s oldest chamber of commerce and serves as the primary unifying voice for Sri Lanka’s private sector. The landmark study evaluates post-crisis consumer realities through a nationally representative quantitative survey of 2,272 consumers across all nine provinces, complemented by qualitative focus group discussions. It provides comprehensive insights into how Sri Lankans discover, select, and transact across retail, FMCG, and financial services in an evolving economic and digital landscape.