The Goods UK: 27 March 2026
|
What’s in: this week’s trends
Something fishy going on: Britain’s takeaway pecking order is shifting as global, trend-led flavours take hold. Just Eat data shows dishes like Korean fried chicken, pad thai and matcha surging in popularity, while traditional staples like fish and chips and doner kebabs drop out of the top ten (Daily Mail). The shift is already hitting demand, with fish and chips sales down 21% year-on-year. Smaller portions are also becoming the norm, with weight loss jabs, now used by around 1.5 million people in the UK, contributing to reduced appetites and fewer past-food occasions (The Independent).
Easter goodies under egg-stra pressure: Easter eggs are the latest victim of shrinkflation, with shoppers paying significantly more for smaller products. Which? data shows some branded eggs have increased by over 40% in cost per 100g while shrinking in size, creating a “double whammy” on value. With chocolate inflation hitting 9.7% amid ongoing cocoa supply issues, brands are increasingly passing on costs through both pricing and pack sizes, leaving shoppers more focused than ever on value for money (The Telegraph).
CEO’s comment on consumer confidence: UK retailers are beginning to provide insights into how they think the conflict in the Middle East will impact consumers. In its full year results this week, Next warned that it is “likely to have knock-on effects on costs, selling prices and consumer demand” and is considering passing on the cost to customers if the conflict goes beyond several months – with the CEO stressing that this is a contingency and not a plan (Financial Times). Elsewhere, Morrisons is also mindful of “the impacts on consumer confidence and supply chain”, noting that it is exploring ways to mitigate effects on its customers (Reuters). With the conversation around consumer confidence dialling up this week, it’s likely we will see more CEOs sharing their views, as well as plans for managing the financial impact.
Cash or card: shopper behaviour
This week we’re discussing the build up to the home-improvement season and how fashion retailers are creating a hype on the high street.
- No place like home (improvements): Easter traditionally signals the start of the home repairs season, from paint-dipped brushes to revved-up power tools, and this year, there’s growing evidence that consumers are ready to get stuck in. Despite a challenging economic backdrop, demand for DIY products have remained resilient, with Kingfisher reporting a UK sales-driven profit boost (Retail Bulletin), and Wickes announcing plans to open 70 new stores after seeing growth across the board (This is Money). Shoppers seem to be continuing to invest in their homes, and the upcoming bank holiday makes for the perfect time to start any home improvement projects that have been on the backburner.
- Highstreet hype: As H&M celebrates 50 years on the British high street, the retailer continues to invest in its physical store portfolio because of the strong demand for in-store experiences. Opening a new flagship store in Brighton this week, H&M’s UK boss believes that today’s shop floor is where transaction meeting experience and young people want to interact with brands with which they have an affinity. Store hosted events, its loyalty scheme programme, and in-store technology are among the initiatives helping H&M build connection and stay relevant (The Guardian). It’s clearly paying off, with H&M reporting improved margins and a jump in profits for the start of 2026, while also reiterating its commitment to optimising its store portfolio (H&M).
Making moves: industry changes & innovation
|
Green is back in fashion: Fashion brands across the board are renewing their commitment to sustainability, with H&M and Nike announcing proactive initiatives which are aimed at enacting change within the sector. H&M’s partnership with Stella McCartney will see it launch a new Insights Board which, alongside leaders in the fashion industry, will create space for “curiosity and listening” while exploring how brands can influence change in an era when fashion is under the spotlight for circularity and waste reduction (Just Style). Elsewhere, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Nike has launched state-of-the-art high performance kits made from recycled materials. The Aero-FIT design, created by the brand’s innovation team, reduces textile waste back into its building blocks before rebuilding it into chips resembling virgin polyester. This builds on Nike’s 2010 design which created kits from recycled plastic bottles, a process which is now widely used by brands including Athena and Zara (Financial Times).
More space in the skies: For airline passengers, the excitement of travelling to a foreign holiday has long been dampened with a level of discomfort on flights which offer little leg room. EasyJet is tacking this issue with its new seats which will provide travellers with two inches of additional space. The new additions, which will be rolled across 237 new aircraft from 2028, will also offer a significant cost saving for the airline as they are 20% lighter than previous seats, saving up to 500kg per plane and an estimated annual fuel saving of over 12,936 tonnes across the fleet (The Times).
For more information about FTI Strategic Communications Retail & Consumer Products sector service offerings and expertise, please contact [email protected] and [email protected]
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of FTI Consulting, its management, its subsidiaries, its affiliates, or its other professionals.
©2025 FTI Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved. www.fticonsulting.com
