38 percent of consumers buy more supermarket clothing than two years ago
Fewer than one in ten have ethical (8 percent) or sustainability (6 percent) concerns about supermarket fashion
63 percent said their perceptions have improved
80 percent believe price is more important than brand
Tu is the favourite fashion label, closely followed by F&F and George is third
Sainsburys is the retailer who would be most trusted to launch a designer collab
Supermarket clothing is emerging as one of the biggest winners of the cost-of-living era, with new research revealing that consumers trust grocery retailers more than traditional clothing brands when it comes to ethics, sustainability and value.
38 percent of UK shoppers are buying more clothing from supermarkets than they were two years ago, compared with just 18 percent who are buying less. A huge 81 percent said that they think supermarket brands are more acceptable and stylish and almost two thirds (63 percent) have a more positive perception of supermarket ranges than they used to.
The new consumer research from product intelligence business, Vypr, is timely as summer is the most popular supermarket clothing season with shoppers. 59 percent said supermarkets offer their best clothing collections then. More than half (56 percent) buy the most for summer holidays, compared with 25 percent who buy most at Christmas.
Despite its low prices, supermarket clothing appears to have avoided the fast-fashion stigma associated with many clothing retailers.
While 38 percent of consumers have actively avoided a retailer due to ethical worries, only 8 percent express strong ethical concerns about supermarket clothing specifically
More than a third (35 percent) of consumers have stopped shopping with retailers due to sustainability issues, compared with just 6 percent who have strong concerns about supermarket fashion ranges.
Ben Davies, founder of Vypr, said: “Despite high profile scrutiny of fashion supply chains, supermarket clothing appears to benefit from long-standing brand trust, with shoppers viewing it as a practical, good-value alternative rather than part of the disposable fashion problem.
Quality perceptions have also shifted with 63 percent having improved opinions. Of those, 33 percent say supermarket clothing has improved in quality, while 19 percent say it has become more stylish. As a result, stigma around supermarket fashion has all but disappeared as 41 percent of shoppers say they are proud of their purchases, and a further 40 percent would openly say their outfit came from a supermarket.”
Value remains the dominant driver. 80 percent of shoppers say price matters more than brand, with more than a third (36 percent) saying it matters much more. Convenience is also a major factor, with 76 percent prioritising ease over brand name.
This combination has helped supermarkets grow share: 45 percent of shoppers now buy the same amount of supermarket clothing as two years ago, 38 percent buy more, and only 9 percent buy less, showing the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on clothing.
Sainsbury’s leads the category, with 34 percent naming Tu as their favourite supermarket fashion range, followed by F&F (32 percent) and George (25 percent). Sainsbury’s is also the retailer shoppers trust most to launch a designer collaboration, with 42 percent selecting it, ahead of Tesco (31 percent) and Asda (19 percent).
Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: charlesdeluvio.
May 2026 issue
2026 A1 Buyers Guide
