The Goods UK – 30 May 2025
Welcome back to The Goods UK. This week we’re chatting veggie school dinners, a different kind of nightlife, UK staycations and the end to disposable vapes.
Fun stat of the week:
- 365 million: The number of Greggs’ sausage rolls sold every year in the UK (The Sun)
What’s in: this week’s trends
- Reps not rounds: As half of the UK’s nightclubs disappear, Gen Z swap sticky floors for squat racks. The Gym Group says 40% of its members are Gen Z, heralding a “generational opportunity” as fitness becomes social, stylish, and mental-health-driven (City AM). Meanwhile, Mitchells & Butlers warns the late-night market is shrinking fast, as younger people ditch the club for a pre-drink and Deliveroo night-in (The Guardian).
- For the Love of Dog: We’ve always been a nation of dog lovers (after all, Monty Don’s pup-friendly garden stole Show in Chelsea) (The Guardian). Pets at Home reported record profits thanks to booming demand for vet care (Retail Gazette). And in the most telling sign of our national obsession, a Shropshire lab is preserving pet DNA for those wanting their dogs cloned – because one lifetime together just isn’t enough (The Observer).
- In TikTok we trust: TikTok’s influence on matcha lattes and Dubai chocolate is well-documented (evidenced by the 35% spike in pistachio prices) (The Guardian). Beyond food, the latest viral obsession is the ‘morning shed’; viral beauty routines involving chin straps, mouth tape and collagen masks worn overnight to ‘wake up pretty’ (The Independent). Experts warn the trend risks hampering quality sleep.
Cash or card: shopper behaviour
What’s in and out of our baskets right now? This week, we’re talking circular fashion startups, travel trends and plant-based school dinners.
- We don’t need no veggie-cation: The Food Foundation has urged schools in England to overhaul its ‘meat eating’ guidance – which is currently served three times a week – in order to increase vegetables and legumes. Its latest report has found that children eat more processed meat (36%) than adults (29%), with 80% of meat served in schools being processed or red meat (The Guardian). The trend is not limited to the UK either, with new legislation in Spain this week decreeing that all school cafeterias must offer plant-based meals to improve diets and make vegan life easier for families (Vegan Food & Living).
- Thrifty gets nifty: Second-hand shopping is evolving fast, shifting from dusty op-shop hunts to curated, premium experiences that rival top retail brands. Vinnies NSW’s Finds platform offers designer donations online with same-day dispatch and sleek user-experience, aimed at younger, fashion-forward consumers (The Guardian). Charity shops and circular fashion startups are embracing digital, driven by demand for sustainable, affordable alternatives to fast fashion (The Drum). Experts warn that true circularity isn’t just about convenience though – it’s about slowing down our consumption altogether (Financial Times).
- Make Holidays Great Again: Holidaymakers in countries hit hardest by Trump’s trade tariffs are choosing to avoid the US and fly elsewhere, according to hotel booking site Trivago, which reported double-digit declines from travellers based in Japan, Canada and Mexico (TravelMole). Whilst there’s been no notable shift in UK travellers going to the US, they are increasingly choosing domestic holidays amid economic concerns, with a whopping 25% year-on-year leap in staycation demand ( The Independent).
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:
- Up in smoke: 8.2 million vapes are thrown away or recycled incorrectly every week, but not for much longer, as the UK government enforce a ban on the sale of disposable vapes from Sunday (Circular). Welcomed by some, including those who argue for the products’ appeal to youth, many of the voices in the sector are critical, referencing data which shows that 42% of adult vapers would consider returning to cigarettes if vapes were banned (Talking Retail). Others argue the ban won’t change anything, with customers expected to use rechargeables the same as disposables, throwing them away after one use (The Times).
- Packaged with problems: The Labour Party’s Extended Producer Responsibility levy, which will see food and drink companies charged a levy based on how many tonnes of packaging goes into their products, is a contentious policy (Mail Online). In fact, this week eight leading hospitality associations, including UKHospitality and the British Beer and Pub Association, signed a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to delay its introduction (The Telegraph). The letter warned that the change in policy would further fuel price inflation, while simultaneously failing to boost recycling rates.
- Big Brother is watching: In March, the launch of Asda’s facial recognition trial hit the headlines, with the Company receiving praise for its innovation in helping to combat retail crime (Grocery Gazette). Since then, however, the retailer has received thousands of complaints over privacy concerns. Most recently, privacy rights group Big Brother Watch filed a complaint with the Information Commissioner, arguing the innovation is an infringement of the data rights of shoppers, with the “Orwellian” trial failing to sufficiently inform shoppers if their biometric data is stored (The Grocer).
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