The Goods UK – 2 May 2025
Welcome back to The Goods UK. This week we’re chatting transatlantic travel, the Italian dream and how ChatGPT might be your new personal shopper.
Fun stats of the week
- 22 million: How many Brits book annual leave over the bank holiday (Tech Digest)
- 85p: The cost of a hot dog at Ikea’s new Oxford Street store (Retail Week)
What’s in: this week’s trends
- Transatlantic turbulence: European tourists are ditching US trips as Air France-KLM and Lufthansa report a slump in bookings. Uncertainty regarding US border entry and the declining economy are key factors impacting travellers’ visiting the country. Meanwhile, American tourists are keeping Europe’s skies busy, as bookings to the continent increased 2.1% for May and June. (Financial Times)
- Building sustainability: LEGO is stacking up its eco-credentials as it reduces its global factory water consumption for the third consecutive year, saving 56,000 m³. This comes as part of the Group’s focus on three key strategies to reducing the impact of its operations: increasing efficiency, finding alternative water sources, and establishing treatment facilities. (ESG News)
- All eyes on cyber: Co-op and Harrods are the latest retailers forced to shut down their IT systems after attempted cyberattacks, following the widely reported cyber incident involving M&S. While the Group has not closed any stores, it was forced to close part of its digital network to prevent hackers from gaining unauthorised access to its IT system. While it is common for similar companies in the same sector to become secondary targets after a cyber-attack (London Standard), Richard Horne, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, said the spate of incidents should serve as a “wake-up call.” (BBC)
Cash or card: shopper behaviour
What’s in and out of our baskets right now? This week, we’re talking the Italian dream, the rise of oldness and the new ‘spring’ in our spending.
- Viva l’Italiano: From truffle-drizzled ciabatta to a ready-poured Aperol Spritz, Brits are in their Italian treat era – and TikTok is setting the table. Tesco has reported a 400% surge in mozzarella sales and a 100% rise in burrata, as creators rack up millions of views layering focaccia with mortadella and sundried tomatoes (The Times). Meanwhile, the UK’s favourite Italian aperitif, Aperol, has shaken up supermarket shelves with its new ready-to-serve, hailed as a “public service announcement” by fans. (Daily Mail)
- Old is gold: With the cost of new clothes soaring, Vinted is having a successful year with sales up 36% and profits jumping to €76.7m in 2024, as more consumers turn to affordable pre-owned items. (Retail Gazette) As import duties drive up the price of new items, second-hand platforms like Vinted, ThredUp, and Poshmark are seeing huge growth, with kids’ platform Kidsy reporting an 85% spike. (Fashion United UK) What was once a hidden gem in the shopping world is now front and centre, with more brands integrating resale into their strategies. Looks like “old” is the new “new”.
- Retail springs to life: A warm spring has worked wonders for Britain’s shops and pubs, with blue skies tempting consumers off the sofa and out to spend. Retail sales volumes unexpectedly rose by 0.4% in March, defying gloomy forecasts and bringing the strongest quarterly growth since July 2021, as shoppers head to fashion, garden and DIY stores. (The Guardian) Meanwhile, pubs pulled in 3.6% sales growth, outperforming restaurants for the fourth month in a row, thanks to Mother’s Day, Easter and record-breaking Spring sunshine.
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:
- Conversational shopping: ChatGPT users are already running over a billion searches per week, and now, they can buy products using the tool. Rolling out this week, ChatGPT will provide personalised recommendations, pricing comparisons and direct links to buy. (Vogue Business) Shoppers aren’t just using AI to make purchases, with TikTok reporting that its grocery sales are up 180% year-on-year, and toilet rolls are one of the most popular items to buy. (Retail Gazette)
- Swede spot: Ikea opens on Oxford Street this week and promises shoppers more than just a retail space. As well as the beloved Swedish deli, showrooms, and planning areas, the store will feature a ‘Live Studio’ for music events, food tastings and children’s entertainment as well as ‘Curated Shops’ with collections from local artists, employees and families. (Retail Week) Other retailers are also prioritising experiences, including Topshop’s one day shopping event opening in London this month (Drapers), Asda’s first-ever George concept store in Leeds (The Grocer), and New Balance’s newly designed flagship which “puts people, not products, at the centre.” (Fashion United)
- Wheeling wellness: Holland & Barrett is rolling out e-cargo bike deliveries to 100 London stores in a bid to help with sustainable stock replenishment. In partnership with Ridelogix, a logistics software company, the retailer can monitor stock levels, identify when products might sell out, and redeploy stock from other stores. (Retail Week) With Sadiq Khan’s public consultation on plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street concluding this week, more companies could follow suit to improve the speed and efficiency of their urban retail logistics. (Savills)
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