New data from Debenhams Group – home to Debenhams, Karen Millen, boohoo, boohooMAN and PrettyLittleThing – reveals how the UK’s prolonged warm weather this summer is reshaping shopping habits, with Brits rushing to cool their homes and make the most of outdoor living.

The new data* follows the UK’s fourth heatwave this summer. With extended periods of high temperatures increasingly common, shoppers are looking for immediate ways to stay cool while also investing in products for warmer summers in the years ahead.

At Debenhams, searches for “air con” increased 4,442 percent between June and July compared with the same period last year, and searches for “fan” rose 1,165 percent. Reflecting this demand, more broadly the ‘cooling’ category at Debenhams more than tripled (232 percent) in sales during the period, with portable neck fans and tower fans among the best-selling products in this category.

The warm weather has also fuelled demand for outdoor living products, as consumers equip their homes for outdoor entertaining. Sales of “picnicware” rose 240 percent year-on-year, while “swimming pools” increased 133% and “BBQs and outdoor cooking” products rose 44 percent.

As gardens become the go-to venue for summer get-togethers, searches for “gazebos” have also increased by 264 percent, and searches for “sun loungers” rose by 268 percent.“Garden furniture” sales also climbed 24 percent as consumers continue to make the most of one of the hottest summers on record.

A Debenhams Group spokesperson said: “Weather remains one of the biggest drivers of shopping behaviour, and when temperatures rise, shoppers aren’t just looking for ways to keep cool – they’re also looking to make the most of the sunshine. Alongside fans and air conditioning, this summer we’re seeing exceptional demand for everything from BBQs and garden furniture to picnic essentials and entertaining accessories, as more people embrace outdoor living and host friends and family at home.”

*Data compares activity across Debenhams between 19th June – 20th July 2026 and 19th June – 20th July 2025, unless otherwise stated.

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Total Till sales at UK supermarkets rose (+4.4 percent) in the four weeks ending 11th July 2026, broadly in line with the previous period (+4.6 percent), according to the latest data released today by NielsenIQ (NIQ). Across all retail outlets, growth increased by +3.8 percent³, but was moderated by a slower performance in the Convenience channel (+2.5 percent).

The strongest trading week came in the week ending 27th June, when shoppers spent almost £4.6 billion, driving sales growth of +7.6 percent compared to the same time last year. Industry unit growth also increased (+1.1 percent), marking the strongest volume performance in the last 12 months outside Easter and Christmas as shoppers bought more.

While like-for-like heatwave conditions in 2025 limited some additional weather-related sales this year, England’s progress through the FIFA World Cup provided a significant boost to spending on food and drink for at-home social occasions.

This is reflected in the category performance, as impulse (snacks, soft drinks, confectionery) was the fastest growing super category (+7.4 percent) closely followed by frozen (+7 percent ) and beer, wine and spirits (+5 percent) reflecting increased spending on entertaining occasions. Lager was a standout performer, with shoppers buying 178.7m litres over the last four weeks – equivalent to 314m pints of lager – and up 12.9 percent on the same period last year. However, the biggest winner in the alcohol category was pre-mixed alcohol drinks (+31.1 percent in value and +22.6 percent in volume) highlighting the continued importance of social occasions during the summer.

Meanwhile, energy drinks (+11.8 percent in value) and ready-to-drink coffee (+10.2 percent) also enjoyed double-digit value growth. Soft drinks outpaced alcohol overall, growing 10.6% in value compared with 5.0 percent for total alcohol, although proving popular was the no/low-alcohol category, where sales surged 17.9 percent in value and 20.8 percent in volume during the tournament period, with volume growth running at more than twice the annual rate.

Warm weather also fuelled demand for picnic and barbeque favourites, as fresh dips (14.6 percent) had a boost in value sales, while salads (+8.4 percent), fresh savoury snacks (+8.2 percent), sushi (+6.2 percent) and fresh berries (+6.3 percent) all recorded healthy growth. Barbecue staples also benefited, with prepared fresh poultry (+8.7 percent) and prepared fresh meat products (+5.5 percent) also growing in value sales, reflecting consumers making the most of outdoor dining opportunities.

Supported by both the FIFA World Cup and Wimbledon, online sales continued to outperform every other grocery channel, with value sales increasing +9.0% and unit sales up +4.3 percent. These celebrations also drove a significant boost in rapid delivery, with fans turning to quick grocery services for matchday essentials. As a result, rapid delivery reached its highest share of online FMCG sales this year at 14 percent on the day of England’s quarter-final match (11th July). ⁴

Overall online growth was also driven in part by Amazon’s extended four-day Prime Day event (23rd-26th June) which delivered its biggest sales event of 2026 to date, generating particularly strong FMCG demand across personal care and beverages.

Despite this increase in sales during this period, shopper sentiment remains impacted by concerns around finances, as 66 percent (+7 percent points on December ‘25) still describe themselves as being either severely or moderately impacted by the cost of living. ²

With that in mind, promotional activity remained a key driver of growth, with 25 percent of FMCG sales purchased on promotion, compared with 23.5 percent a year ago, as retailers invested in seasonal and World Cup-related offers to encourage spending.

Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight at NielsenIQ, said: “The last four weeks have been a strong trading period for food retailers and the incremental purchasing has given a welcome boost to volume sales. It’s unusual to have like-for-like heatwaves and this means supermarkets will have missed out on some incremental sales, with most of the growth due to the FIFA World Cup. Nevertheless, unit growth of +1.1 percent across the industry was the best in 12 months as shoppers enjoyed all that the season has to offer with BBQs, picnics and social events.”

​Mike continued: “The good news is that the hot weather is expected to continue until at least the end of July. With the World Cup now over retailers will look to some inspiring media campaigns supported by some new promotions, to encourage shoppers to keep spending with the summer holiday season underway. This will be important for sustaining growth ahead of shoppers reverting to their usual shopping patterns in September.”

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Immo Wegmann.

Unless otherwise stated all data is NIQ Homescan Total Till 

¹NIQ  Scantrack data

²NIQ Homescan Survey | June 2026

³ NIQ Total Coverage

⁴ NIQ Digital Purchases

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England’s Semi-final match against Argentina is set to generate an additional £455m for the UK economy, according to the latest predictions.

The 2026 World Cup Spending Report by discount site, VoucherCodes.co.uk, forecasts 26.2 million people will tune into the match today at 8pm, spending across both the retail and hospitality sectors.

With a place in the final in touching distance, 7m fans are expected to visit hospitality venues during England’s Semi-final match – more than any other match to date. Hindered slightly by the midweek kick-off, hospitality spending will be more modest than in the Quarter-finals (down 6%). Sales are set to reach £98.3m in pubs, from food (£37.8m) and drink (£60.5m).

The retail sector will benefit the most from England making it to the Semi-finals with sales for the one match predicted to reach £356.5m.

The largest share of spend will go on food and drink (£238.3m) with a further £44m on sportswear, £25m on electrical items and £20m on merchandise as consumers go all out to support the Three Lions.

Looking at the tournament stage as a whole, British businesses can expect to enjoy a boost of £563.4m across the two Semi-final games. A healthy £437m is set to be spent at retail stores while a further £126.2m will be spent at hospitality venues.

This accounts for just a small portion of the £3.8bn forecasted to be spent across the whole World Cup tournament.

Moji Oshisanya, Chief Commercial Officer at VoucherCodes.co.uk, explains: “With a maximum of only two games left to play, and the stakes higher than ever, British businesses are set for yet another major boost from England’s semi-final involvement. At this late stage in the competition, consumers are prioritising home watch parties and budget-conscious hospitality visits, saving their money in the hopes that England can make it all the way to the final.”

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Chaos Soccer Gear.

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Consumer card spending grew by 1.9 percent year-on-year in June, a marked improvement on May’s 0.8 percent growth, but below the latest CPIH inflation rate of 3 percent. Non-essential spending increased 1.7 percent, while growth in essential spending reached a 14-month high, up 2.2 percent. The uplift was driven by a combination of stabilising consumer confidence, warm and sunny weather, and the arrival of the World Cup, which boosted several categories including pubs, clothing and general retail.

Consumers’ confidence in household finances (64 percent), non-essential spending (51 percent) and ability to live within their means (70 percent) were all broadly on par with May, while confidence in job security grew three percentage points to 46 percent. Similarly, confidence in the global (26 percent), UK (24 percent) and European economy (29 percent) all remained within one percentage point of May’s results.

Barclays consumer confidence measures
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Household finances	66%	67%	65%	64%	65%	64%
Job security	43%	44%	44%	43%	43%	46%
Ability to spend on non-essential items	54%	55%	53%	49%	52%	51%
Ability to live within means	71%	74%	71%	69%	70%	70%
Strength of the UK economy	24%	25%	21%	22%	25%	24%
Strength of the European economy	28%	29%	26%	25%	28%	29%
Strength of the global economy	25%	24%	21%	20%	25%	26%

Consumers appear to be separating their own finances from the wider economic picture: 39 percent agree their personal financial situation is more stable than the UK’s overall, while 44 percent say they feel financially resilient despite concerns about the UK economy.

World Cup kick-off gives pubs a lift

Three in five (59 percent) UK adults report tuning into the World Cup this year, however 47 percent say they’re watching more matches at home than they normally would, due to late kick-off times.

Despite this, Barclays merchant-side data shows pubs have enjoyed substantial boosts on England match days, helped by extended opening hours. Pub transactions hit a 2026-peak on Saturday 27^th June, when England faced Panama, at five times’ the year’s daily average (up 389.9 percent), representing a 161.7 percent year-on-year uplift.

Looking at combined figures for Sunday 5^th July and Monday 6^th July, when the England-Mexico kick-off was delayed until 2am BST due to the weather, payments tripled, up 201.5 percent year-on-year. Similarly, England’s draw against Ghana resulted in an unusually busy Tuesday (23^rd June) for the sector with payments processed up 244.3 percent year-on-year.

Growth in pub transactions
Date	Match	Score	YoY growth
Wednesday 17th June	England vs Croatia	4-2	10.4%
Tuesday 23rd June	England vs Ghana	0-0	244.3%
Saturday 27th June	England vs Panama	2-0	161.7%
Sunday 5th July + Monday 6th July (combined)	England vs Mexico	3-2	201.5%

Record June heat helps the high street

After June temperatures reached record highs of 37 degrees in some parts of the UK, retail spending reached an 11-month peak, up 1.9 percent. Clothing spend grew 2.4 percent, as consumers refreshed their summer wardrobes and took advantage of seasonal sales.

General retailers (up 4.7 percent) and department stores (up 9.7 percent) also saw strong growth. In response to the heatwave, 38 percent of consumers said they purchased cold food and drink items, while 30 percent invested in fans or cooling devices, with spending on electronics up 2.7 percent.

After falling -5.7 percent and -5.8 percent respectively in April and May, travel spending showed signs of recovery in June, down just -0.1 percent. Airline spend declined -5.4 percent, but travel agents returned to growth (1.9 percent), after three consecutive months of decline. Meanwhile, hotels, resorts & accommodation climbed 1.7 percent, which comes as 26 percent of consumers say they’re going on a UK staycation in 2026, up from 19 percent in April.

Rohan Kumar, Head of Spend Insights at Barclays, said: “Card spending saw further uplift in June, with both essential and non-essential categories recording stronger growth. Record temperatures, stabilising consumer confidence and the start of the World Cup helped drive a broad-based increase in activity, boosting spending across everyday essentials, summer purchases and social occasions.”

Jack Meaning, Chief UK Economist at Barclays, said: “While additional spending around the World Cup will be a welcome cushion for the hospitality sector, it remains true that the economy has slowed into the middle of the year. Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, we expect growth to pick up modestly, as improving consumer sentiment and reduced uncertainty are partially offset by the temporary inflation bump.”

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Ben Black.

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Through its sales data, Square captured how businesses adapted to serve fans and capitalised on increased foot traffic during the group stage.

Pubs & bars cash in on fan demand

Square data showed a 90 percent increase in revenue at pubs and bars during the tournament’s match periods versus baseline periods. Sellers also saw notable increases during late-night hours when matches aired in different time zones, with a 121 percent increase in transactions during 10pm-1am periods during prime matches, creating new opportunities for late-night food establishments.

The economics of match timing

Tournament scheduling created distinct spending patterns for Square sellers. Transaction volumes spiked during key matches, driving a 57 percent lift in daily sales on Wednesday 17th June during England vs. Croatia’s match; and a 91 percent lift on Tuesday 23rd June during England vs. Ghana’s match.

A look at fan spending

Popular food items ordered at pubs and bars, included steak (+9 percent), pizza (+7 percent), crisps (+4 percent), and scampi fries (+3 percent). In preparation for crowded venues during the matches, there was a 6% increase in restaurant reservations compared to normal periods.

John O’Beirne, CEO of Square International, said: “Bars and restaurants are having their busiest late nights in years. With the initial England games kicking off between 9pm and 10pm and others not kicking off until after midnight, the tournament naturally extends the evening economy. As such we are seeing consumers take full advantage and spend is significantly up across the whole hospitality sectors. The businesses that will do the best are the ones that will be closely monitoring sales data, and make adjustments throughout the tournament to ensure they are responding to the latest consumer tastes.”

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By Tim Deeker-Harris, Vice President at Proxima

Anyone for splitting the G? The Guinness shortages of 2024 showed how a viral social media trend can disrupt global supply chains almost overnight. More recently, trends such as the Greek yoghurt and Biscoff hack demonstrated how demand can spike within hours and continue for weeks.

The challenge for businesses is that social media moves much faster than supply chains. While trends can emerge overnight, sourcing, manufacturing and logistics decisions are often made months in advance. Many retailers, for example, lock in Christmas forecasting and supplier commitments up to nine months ahead.

This creates significant pressure for businesses trying to determine whether demand is a short-lived viral moment or a longer-term consumer shift. Get it wrong and businesses risk shortages, excess stock, margin erosion and reputational damage – particularly in low-margin sectors where forecasting errors are costly.

Businesses also face structural constraints. Most supply chains are designed around predictable demand patterns, with only limited flexibility built in. Companies can only move as fast as their suppliers, manufacturers and logistics networks allow.

One of the most common mistakes businesses make when reacting to viral demand is chasing volume too aggressively. This can lead to over-ordering, inflated procurement costs, rushed supplier switches and compromised product quality. In many cases, businesses also fail to communicate clearly with customers around availability and lead times.

Common mistakes businesses should avoid when responding to viral demand include:

• Over-ordering to chase the trend – leaving businesses exposed to excess stock once demand inevitably drops.
• Compromising on product quality or supplier standards – particularly damaging for brands positioning themselves as premium over the long term.
• Switching suppliers too quickly – which can create compliance, consistency and reputational risks.
• Ignoring margin discipline – with expedited logistics and short-term buying decisions quickly eroding profitability.
• Poor customer communication – failing to manage expectations around stock availability, delays or substitutions.

Instead, procurement teams should focus on protecting core supply, maintaining cost discipline and using phased supplier commitments where possible. Businesses that perform well during demand spikes typically rely on close collaboration between procurement, sales and marketing teams, allowing them to adapt forecasts quickly as trends emerge.

More advanced organisations are increasingly using social listening and consumer data to identify trends earlier and respond faster. However, resilience ultimately depends on supply chain flexibility. Dual sourcing strategies, contingency logistics options and maintaining appropriate safety stock can all help businesses respond more effectively to sudden shifts in demand.

Social media trends are now acting as a real-time stress test for supply chains. Businesses that can respond quickly without sacrificing cost control or quality will be best positioned to turn viral demand into long-term commercial opportunity.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock, published by BongkarnGraphic. Supplied by Proxima.

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Far from drawing consumers away from physical retail, social media is driving an estimated 1.7 billion visits to UK high streets every year – an average of over 30 million visits a week – according to new research from American Express.

The Hype to High Street study, conducted with analysts Retail Economics, found that nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of UK adults have visited a shop or hospitality venue within the last year, such as a café or restaurant, after being influenced by content they saw on social media. Among Gen Z consumers (aged 18-28), that figure rises to 88 percent.

The study suggests social media has become a powerful driver of both customer footfall and loyalty, particularly among younger consumers. More than four in five (82 percent) consumers return to a business after a socially influenced first visit, rising to 96 percent among Gen Z. These customers are also powerful advocates; nearly eight in ten (79 percent) say they shared their most recent visit in some way – whether that meant recommending that business, posting about it on social media or leaving a review online. Among Gen Z, that figure rises to 89 percent.

The ‘viral pilgrimage’ economy

Short-form social content is helping translate viral and ‘hot’ products into offline demand, with the rise of products such as Dubai chocolate and matcha drinks, along with trending locations or experiences motivating consumers to visit in person.

This points to the emergence of a new ‘viral pilgrimage’ economy, where consumers travel significant distances to other towns and parts of the country, to experience products, venues and trends they first discovered online. Over a third (35 percent) of Gen Z consumers have travelled to another city or region to purchase a product they first saw trending online. Once there, nearly nine in ten (87 percent) say they would be willing to queue for a sought-after product or experience.

Social influence is driving spend

The research is based on a survey of 2,000 UK adults, combined with economic modelling used to calculate the total value and volume of social media-influenced spending on UK high streets.

Nearly nine in 10 (87 percent) respondents reported spending money during a socially influenced visit, rising to 94 percent among Gen Z shoppers. More broadly, Retail Economics’ modelling suggests that social media now influences one in every 20 in-person high street purchases across the UK, highlighting its growing role in converting online engagement into real-world spending.

The domino effect of viral footfall

At a time when many high streets continue to face pressures, the research also shows that the benefits of socially influenced visits extend beyond individual businesses, generating wider economic value for surrounding retailers, restaurants and other venues.

Almost a third (32 percent) of consumers visited additional nearby shops, restaurants or venues during the same socially influenced trip, while more than one in five Gen Z shoppers (22 percent) said they spent more than originally planned once they arrived.

Dan Edelman, UK General Manager, Merchant Services at American Express, said: “Social media has become the new shop window for Britain’s high streets. What starts as a scroll on social is increasingly translating into real-world visits, increased spending and growth opportunity for businesses across the UK.

What’s striking is that the impact doesn’t stop at the venue that first caught a consumer’s attention – social media is creating a domino effect that benefits neighbouring businesses and helps entire high streets thrive. For merchants, particularly those looking to attract younger consumers, the ability to turn online hype into memorable in-person experiences has never been more important. At American Express, we’re committed to championing the UK’s high streets and the businesses that power them, helping merchants make the most of these changing consumer behaviours.”

Case study – House of Kind

House of Kind, a London-based womenswear brand, is one of those businesses. After one of their T-shirts went viral following a collaboration with charity 50:50 Parliament, there has been a lasting impact on their online and in person sales.

Sonica Beckmann, Founder and CEO of House of Kind, said: “When one of our T-shirts went viral, the response was immediate – our Instagram followers grew by 67 percent in days, website traffic jumped by over 400%, and the product sold out across multiple sizes. At an independent Soho boutique where we are stocked, our in-person sales went up by 60% that week. This won us a new loyal customer base, and we’ve seen a lasting positive effect on the business.”

Richard Lim, CEO at Retail Economics, said: “Social media is not just driving online sales, it is now also influencing in-person spend on the UK high street. The channel’s growth underlines just how quickly shopping via social has become mainstream, as well as the extent of its positive contribution to the long-term health of UK high streets. Social media is becoming an increasingly important driver of footfall in its own right, helping turn shops, restaurants and venues into destinations consumers actively seek out, visit and share with others.”

In the UK since 2021, the number of locations accepting American Express has tripled, including more UK small businesses than ever before.1 American Express Cards are accepted at over 170 million merchant locations worldwide as of year-end 2025.2

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Total Till sales at UK supermarkets rose (+4.6 percent) in the four weeks ending 13th June, improving from +4.2 percent in the previous period, reveals new data released today by NielsenIQ (NIQ). This was primarily driven by the end of May heatwave, when sales growth at the Grocery Multiples increased (+6.3 percent) in the two weeks ending 30th May, unit growth rose (+2.5 percent) and spend per visit was up (+2.3 percent).

However, NIQ data reveals that in the following two weeks to 13th June, sales growth slowed sharply (+0.4 percent), while unit growth fell (-1.7 percent), as cooler and wetter weather discouraged spending. Shoppers spent £490m less during these two weeks compared with the previous fortnight¹. This is also reflected in consumer confidence remaining unchanged at -23, with shoppers continuing to hold a negative outlook on their personal circumstances.

Boost in promotional spending and online FMCG

In the four-week period, promotional activity continued to play a key role in driving FMCG performance, with spend on promotion rising to 25 percent of total FMCG sales, up from 23.5 percent last year, which was helped by some new World Cup themed promotions. In the online channel, promotional spend was even higher (29 percent), as shoppers prioritised value for money and convenience of shop.

With this in mind, retailers increasingly relied on promotions, targeted price cuts and own label ranges to sustain demand, with own label sales (+5.4 percent value / +0.3 percent units) growing three times faster than branded sales. This was further supported by strong performance from premium own label lines, which recorded +9.1 percent value growth and +6.2 percent unit growth.²

With the uptick in sales and the start of the World Cup, the Convenience channel sales increased +1.7 percent year-on-year. Growth in convenience stores operated by the Grocery Multiples was also higher (+3.6 percent) compared with a year ago.

However, this growth remains well behind online share of FMCG spend, where sales increased (+9.3%) ², making online the fastest growing channel in 2026. This was aided by the rise of rapid delivery which also benefited from the hottest day of the year so far, with rapid delivery reaching 12.8 percent share of online on 26th May 2026, its highest share of online sales this year to date ⁴.

Warmer weather also drove strong growth in outdoor and summer-led products, including suncare (+70 percent), prepared salad (+21 percent value) and fresh dips (+20 percent value). There was also growth in fresh foods (+4.4 percent), while frozen (+9.4 percent) became the fastest growing super category, driven by strong performance in ice cream (+34 percent) and frozen fruit (+28 percent), with total spend reaching £252m.

World Cup fever drives growth in drinks and world cuisine categories

There was also growth in the drinks categories, such as beer, wine and spirits (+2.7 percent), as well as soft drinks (11.9 percent value / +5.6 percent units). Shoppers also spent £411m on lager, where sales rose (+7.9 percent), and £111m on cider (+10 percent). Premix alcoholic drinks (+51 percent) also saw strong growth. This coincides with the start of the World Cup and warmer weather, encouraging consumers to host viewing parties and social occasions.

The impact of The World Cup was also reflected in the demand for new cuisines and world flavours, with the cooking sauces category showing heightened consumer interest in experimenting with more diverse foods. Interest was particularly strong in Japanese (+9.0 percent)⁴, Thai & South East Asian (+14.8 percent), Spanish (+31.2 percent) and Mexican (+7.1 percent) flavours. In contrast, unit growth across more mainstream cuisines declined, including British (-0.9 percent) and Indian (-2.4 percent), while Italian recorded modest growth (+0.7 percent).⁵

NIQ data shows that 43 percent⁶ of shoppers now experiment with new recipes and cuisines at least every fortnight, a trend that is prompting retailers and brands to expand world-inspired ranges to capitalise on growing consumer appetite, further amplified by global events such as the World Cup.

Over the 12 weeks, Asda was the only major retailer to see sales decline (-4.9 percent). Ocado was the fastest growing retailer (+16.1 percent), followed by M&S (+14.3 percent) and Lidl (+9.2 percent). Co-op sales also increased (+6.0 percent) alongside Sainsbury’s (+3.5 percent), which continued to grow market share and rose to 15.0 percent. In contrast, Aldi sales were flat at 0.0 percent.

Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight at NielsenIQ, says: “The arrival of hot weather boosted demand for summer essentials, with suncare, ice cream and refreshment related categories among the fastest growing areas of grocery spend. As well as outdoor dining occasions, dips and sharing foods as consumers made the most of the early summer weather and retailers adapted ranges to meet this demand.”

Mike adds: “Looking ahead, the second heatwave of the year will likely see another boost to sales into July, conveniently coinciding with the summer of sport. Yet, we still expect lower demand into August when the holiday season disrupts spending. The economic outlook for September is still uncertain with increases in mortgage and energy costs expected and the possibility that accelerating food inflation could start to take a bigger share of disposable incomes, which may add further uncertainty for households. Retailers and brands will therefore need to continue to find innovative ways to encourage shoppers to spend to maintain the current sales momentum.”

Unless otherwise stated all data is NIQ Homescan Total Till

¹NIQ Scantrack Total Coverage

²Homescan FMCG 12 we 13.06.26

³NIQ Scantrack Defined Grocery Multiples e commerce 4 w.e 13th June 2026

⁴ NIQ Digital Purchases Value Share | YTD is up to 13th June 2026

⁵NIQ Scantrack | Total Coverage | 12 weeks to 13.06.26

⁶ NIQ Homescan Survey | November 2025

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Immo Wegmann.

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Alastair Lockhart, Insight Director at Savvy, commented: “Slower sales growth reflects a significant fall in consumer confidence in recent months and the fact that Father’s Day retail activations find themselves in the shadows of World Cup activity in-store. No doubt many fathers will, however, be keen to watch a little football as part of their celebrations on the 21^st. For retailers, the World Cup could provide an unexpected boost to Father’s Day spending. With matches taking place later in the day, celebrations may extend beyond the traditional lunch occasion and into the evening, creating additional opportunities for food and drink purchases as families gather to watch the football together.”

Savvy’s findings suggest that many shoppers are focusing on celebrations at home – a trend noted across all calendar occasions this year (to include Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter), with many families put off by the rising cost of eating out. Seven in 10 (71 percent) people planning to celebrate Father’s Day said they intended to have a meal at home, with 53 percent saying they will be looking out for limited-edition or exclusive food and drink products. 51 percent intended to purchase more premium food and drink items for the occasion.

When it came to product categories, spending on clothing and cosmetics and aftershave was expected to decline compared with last year. In contrast, non-alcoholic drinks are set to be one of the strongest-performing categories, benefiting from continued innovation and growing consumer interest in the sector. Savvy’s analysis suggests that spending on alcoholic drinks and food for at-home celebrations will remain broadly flat, compared to 2025.

Gift inspiration is increasingly coming from a mix of digital and physical channels. Amazon is now the leading retail source of inspiration, used by 50 percent of shoppers planning to celebrate Father’s Day, closely followed by supermarket stores at 48 percent.

AI is also becoming part of the shopping journey. Half of shoppers (50 percent) agreed that AI makes it easier to find inspiration for Father’s Day, while 45 percent expected to use AI tools to generate gift ideas. Social media too plays an important role, with 46 percent reporting that they had already seen Father’s Day gift ideas on social platforms. 48 percent said they were likely to buy something they discovered through their social media feed. Short-form video content such as TikTok influenced 44 percent of shoppers.

As for what fathers are most likely to receive this year: cards top the list, with 50 percent planning to buy one, followed by chocolates (33 percent), clothes (28 percent) and beer (25 percent). Wine (18 percent), aftershave (16 percent), homemade gifts (16 percent) and gadgets or electrical products (14 percent) complete the most popular gift choices.

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Daiga Ellaby.

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Consumer card spending grew 0.8 percent year-on-year in May, up from April’s -0.1 percent decline, but still below the latest CPIH inflation rate of 3.4 percent. Essential spending climbed 0.7 percent, led by an 11.9 percent increase in fuel spending, while non-essential spending returned to growth, at 0.9 percent, after falling -0.3 percent last month.

Consumer confidence in the UK, European and global economies all rebounded in May, returning to the levels seen at the beginning of the year, after declining in March and April.

Barclays economic confidence measures
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
Strength of the UK economy	24%	25%	21%	22%	25%
Strength of the European economy	28%	29%	26%	25%	28%
Strength of the global economy	25%	24%	21%	20%	25%

Consumers’ confidence in their household finances and ability to live within their means improved one percentage point each, to 65 percent and 70 percent respectively, while consumers’ confidence in their ability to spend on non-essential items grew to 52 percent (up from 49 percent).

Concerns about the impact of the Middle East on costs remain high, but have eased month-on-month, with a lower proportion of consumers concerned about rising energy bills (83 percent, down from 85 percent) and food prices (82 percent, down from 84 percent).

Consumers cut costs and build savings buffers to manage uncertainty

Two in three (65 percent) are making financial adjustments in response to current uncertainty, with this group limiting non-essential purchases (45 percent), takeaways and meals out (42 percent) and energy use at home (38 percent).

Of those making the effort to cut discretionary spending, 35 percent say their top reason for doing so is to offset an increase in essential costs, while 34 percent cited building a savings buffer as their main motivation.

Entertainment returns to growth

Entertainment spending grew 5.8 percent in May, after declining -0.6 percent in April, supported by the box office success of the long-awaited sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2, as well as The Sheep Detectives and Michael.

Digital content and subscriptions continued to perform strongly, rising 12.8 percent year-on-year, its highest growth since August 2021. This was supported by popular series including Rivals Season 2, Euphoria Season 3 and Off Campus, as well as the final matches of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, with some matches streamed online.

Airline uncertainty slows international travel

Travel spending fell -5.8 percent, marking its third consecutive month of decline, with holidaymakers still taking a wait-and-see approach to their summer plans amid ongoing uncertainty. Airline spending led was down -12.9 percent, suggesting consumers are putting off international travel. A fifth say they are taking a staycation this year, driven by convenience (46 percent), a preference for UK trips (35 percent), cost (33 percent) and a desire to avoid air travel (30 percent).

May’s sunny weather and the early bank holiday supported several seasonal categories, with food and drink specialist stores up 4.0 per cent, and health and beauty rising 5.0 percent. Both furniture stores (6.4 percent), and hotels and accommodation (2.7 percent) returned to growth, after declining in April (down -0.9 percent and -2.4 percent respectively).

Julien Lafargue, Chief Market Strategist, Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management, said: “May’s data offers an early sign that household demand may be stabilising, but the macro backdrop remains finely balanced. The key question now is whether improving confidence can be sustained, particularly if inflation remains sticky and interest rates trend higher.”

Karen Johnson, Head of Retail at Barclays, said: “The warmer weather and first May Bank Holiday gave consumers more reasons to spend in May, particularly on seasonal essentials, UK breaks and affordable ways to enjoy time with family and friends. Shoppers are still being careful, with many continuing to build savings and managing subscriptions more closely, but they are also finding room in their budgets for the things that feel good value, convenient or worth prioritising.”

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Stephen Phillips – hostreviews.co.uk.

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