The Goods UK – 11 July 2025
Welcome back to The Goods UK! This week we’re chatting “footballcore” fashion, how Barbie is making play more inclusive and F1’s race towards net zero.
Fun stats of the week
- 2 million: the number of parents planning to take their children out of school for a term-time holiday this year, according to Currensea (The Times)
- 40%: of Brits worry that Spain is becoming too hot for a summer holiday, closely followed by Greece and Turkey (Daily Mail)
- 378: the number of pubs across Britain expected to close this year, according to the British Beer and Pub Association, resulting in the loss of 5,600 jobs (Metro)
What’s in: this week’s trends
- Fashion fever: With the 2025 Women’s Euros underway, Marks & Spencer has been named the official tailor for the Lionesses, while ALIGNE becomes the style partner for the Wales squad. With female fans 45% more likely to buy from sponsor brands compared to men’s sports, brands can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. (Harper’s Bazaar) But it’s not just player deals driving the shift, Depop searches for football shirts have doubled since January as ‘footballcore’ takes over our summer wardrobes, cementing the sport’s influence both on and off the pitch. (Stylist)
- Feeling the heat: The countdown to the school summer holidays is on, but is the peak summer season becoming too hot and expensive for families? A KPMG survey found that a third of parents would take their children out of school during term time to go on holiday, with one in five saying they would do so to avoid peak summer travel costs. (The Times) Concerns around heatwaves are also pushing Brits to opt for shoulder seasons instead, with three in four thinking that some European holidays destinations will be “too hot” to visit in the next five years. (BBC)
- Cultured getaways: Gone are the days of hotel buffets as travellers now sip beachside probiotic shots and symbiotic spritzers as they seek out fermented food adventures. (Vogue) Gut health tourism, a blend of wellness culture and biohacking, is gaining momentum with destinations from Tuscany to Bali offering microbiome-minded retreats. In fact, functional drinks such as kombucha have nearly matched the £24m growth of the entire carbonated category, despite being less than 5% of its size. (The Grocer)
Cash or card: shopper behaviour
What’s in and out of our baskets right now? This week, we’re discussing the rise in healthier breads, bingo’s big makeover, and Barbie’s inclusive evolution.
- Rising, with better dough: People are eating healthier, and bakeries, manufacturers and grocery stores are running to fuel their products with nutritional enrichment. Research has proven 66% of consumers would pay a higher price if the food they’re consuming has a health benefit, providing breadmakers with a serious challenge. Bakery aisles are going through a revamp, with M&S launching their four-ingredient loaves and rolls. (The Grocer) (Food Business News)
- Ale-evation: Pubs and bars across the UK are up for a major challenge, and that is maintaining consumer interest in visiting them. Buzz Bingo announced last week that they were going to upgrade their bingo services to redesign the new ‘night out’, pairing pens and paper with self-service screens to help bingo keep up with the times. (The Times) Greene King spoke to the need for upgraded socialisation, to ensure traditional social activities are being modernised to keep up with the times, with new tech being an alluring invite for customers. (MCA Online)
- This Barbie includes everyone: Since last summer’s Barbie’s revival, Mattel has built her universe to ensure there’s a doll for everyone. This week, they launched the first Barbie with type one diabetes, complete with a pink glucose monitor and insulin pump. (The Independent) Other brands have followed suit: Lego added characters with sunflower lanyards to raise awareness of hidden disabillities (The Guardian) while Mayana and Friends offers dolls with limb differences. (Ediyfed) It’s a clear sign that brands are ensuring every child sees themselves reflected in their toys.
Making moves: industry changes & innovation
ICYMI, industry icons are reinvigorating their brand through unique and creative ways. Here are some movers and shakers that you should know about:
- Catch me if you can: Retailers across the UK are adopting an innovative intelligence-sharing system, known as Auror, to tackle the increasing spate of shoplifting on the high street. Leading brands including M&S, Morrisons, Tesco, Primark and Greggs will begin sharing images of serial offenders to the database, enabling police to identify and prosecute shoplifters. The system has already proven effective in New Zealand, where it has been successfully deployed across 98% of stores. (The Telegraph)
- Racing to net zero: Formula 1 has changed its 2026 schedule in a bid to reduce emissions from unnecessary air travel and freight. The racing calendar will now see a consolidated European leg during the summer months, limiting the amount of long-haul flights. Coupled with the revised timetable, F1 has partnered with DHL to ensure lower-carbon freight solutions, such as using sustainable aviation fuel for any future transport (edie)
- Watch this space: The marriage of sport and luxury goods has taken to new heights in recent months as brands seek to elevate their elite status. Alongside Rolex’s ongoing sponsorship of Wimbledon and Golf’s leading Major events, TAG Heuer has become the first ever title sponsor of F1’s Monaco Grand Prix. Football fans will also now be able to buy Christopher Ward watches, with their pies and pints, at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson stadium following the launch of a first-of-its-kind showroom at the sporting venue. (Financial Times)
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