Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Consumer Goods

Introduction

Consumer Goods lead costs spent most of the year running above the market, then swung sharply lower at year‑end. Across all countries, median cost per lead opened high in January, accelerated into an October spike, and then reset hard in November before settling near the mid‑30s in January 2026. Against the steadier global benchmark, Consumer Goods was pricier on average and notably more volatile, with a pronounced late‑year swing that reshaped the year’s story.

This analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks. This analysis explores ad performance trends for Consumer Goods across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Consumer Goods CPL started at $57.01 in January 2025 and ended at $31.40 in January 2026, a 45% decline across the period. The category averaged $48.73, with a high of $63.18 in October and a low of $31.40 in January 2026. The year’s rhythm was clear: a soft stretch around March–April (both near $42.6), a climb through late summer (mid‑50s by August), a brief easing in September ($53.64), then the peak in October ($63.18). The most dramatic movement followed: November fell to $36.17, down 43% from October, before a partial December rebound to $45.37 and a fresh trough in January 2026.

Volatility stood out. Month‑to‑month absolute changes averaged $7.59, with several large moves: −$9.83 in March, +$9.54 in October, −$27.01 in November, and −$13.98 in January 2026. This produced a wide operating range—roughly $31 to $63 over the 13 months.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonality appeared in two acts. Through Q3, CPLs generally firmed: Q1 averaged $50.94, Q2 eased to $47.12, then Q3 lifted to $54.38, reflecting typical late‑summer demand pressure. Q4 broke that build: October’s spike gave way to a sharp November reset, with December stabilizing in the mid‑40s. The new year opened softer than any point in 2025, consistent with broader patterns where competition and budgets cool in early January.

Country vs. Global

Compared to the global Facebook Ads benchmarks across all industries, Consumer Goods CPLs were higher and choppier. The global median averaged $40.99 (range: $33.43 in March to $48.83 in October), with smoother month‑to‑month shifts averaging $3.52—less than half the Consumer Goods volatility.

On average, Consumer Goods ran 19% above the global benchmark ($48.73 vs. $40.99). It outpaced the market in 10 of 13 months, with the widest lead in January 2025 (+63%) and the narrowest in December (+7%). Two notable underperformances surfaced late: November 2025 (−25% below the global level) and January 2026 (−9%). While the global trend climbed steadily from Q1 to Q4 (+28% from $36.20 to $46.49 on quarterly averages) before easing into January, Consumer Goods displayed a sharper arc culminating in October and a faster correction afterward.

Closing

In short, Facebook Ads cost‑per‑lead benchmarks for the Consumer Goods industry across all countries show a premium to the global market and a more volatile profile, with an October peak and a swift late‑year reset. Understanding CPL trends and industry ad performance in this global roll‑up helps contextualize country‑specific ad costs and compare Consumer Goods outcomes to broader CPM and CTR performance patterns worldwide.