The Goods UK – 4 December 2024
Welcome back to The Goods UK. This week, we’re chatting the rise of ‘Noctourism’, why a black harp might be coming to a bloke near you and whether mulled wine has become the latest victim of ‘skimpflation’.
How much time do you spend online each day? According to Ofcom, it’s an average of six hours and one minute if you’re aged between 18 and 24. No wonder brain rot is Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year.
What’s in: this week’s trends
- More bang for your buck: Competition watchdogs have ruled that supermarket loyalty schemes do give members genuine savings. The analysis of 50,000 items found there was “little evidence” companies were inflating their ‘usual’ prices to make promotions seem like a better deal. The news will be welcomed by Morrisons customers whose loyalty scheme has been revamped this week to include more items.
- Shopping is put on ice: Storm Bert, increasing pressure on living costs and a later-than-usual Black Friday have left high street retailers out in the cold, as a new report shows the worst slump in sales since January 2021. With private sector firms also anticipating activity will fall in Q1 2025, separate figures from the Institute of Directors (IOD) found that business confidence had plunged to its lowest level since April 2020.
- When the sun goes down: Forget soaking up those winter rays, UK travellers are embracing night-time experiences and destinations as ‘Noctourism’ rises in popularity. But some countries with colder climates are split over the benefits of the increased attention. As flight seats to Greenland expect to double next year, the country’s Inuit community have voiced concerns about the spoiling of the land’s pristine beauty and the potential for foreign companies to leach the profits.
- You gotta speed it up: Shopping platform Temu has started working with UK-based suppliers as it seeks to shorten delivery times and reduce shipping costs. With the ability to now ship bulky items that are uneconomical to ship from China, including furniture, winter coats and electrical appliances, the move is expected to create further pressure on UK-based retailers.
Cash or card: shopper behaviour
What’s in and out of our baskets right now? This week it’s all about energy-saving chic, why Brits won’t shift from a 10% tip and where to get a slice of the action for the newest corporate party hit.
- Your granny wore it first: Electric blankets have never been cooler as more of us look for smarter ways to stay warm this December without breaking the bank. Alongside USB rechargeable gloves and electric gilet, the resurgence of this once shunned 70s staple comes as roughly 10 million pensioners brace themselves to miss out on the 2024 winter fuel payment due to changes in the eligibility rules.
- Pizza over Pol Roger: The annual booze fuelled Christmas debauch seems to be falling out of favour as companies respond to changing cultural norms, home working and the advent of ‘zebra stripping’. But it’s not just mini-golf and wreath making that’s on the up. The popularity of an experiential initiative called Pizza Masterclasses has led to record booking at Pizza Pilgrims – so much so that the brand is renovating its Canary Wharf restaurant to include a dedicated kitchen for group lessons.
- Tipping point: American influences are typically adopted at speed on this side of the pond, but us Brits are standing firm against the flow of US-style tipping practices. While the number of businesses applying a suggested tip before a card is presented has increased by a third over the past two years, Brits typically stick to 10% on average. Hotels and B&Bs have been called out as the worst offenders, with a 112% increase in the use of gratuity prompts since 2022.
- Get a round in: From deep indigo jeans and knit jumpers to football jerseys and scarves, the sheer name of collaborations featuring Guinness’ iconic harp logo suggests the black stuff might be the next big drink in fashion. Culture writers suggest wearing the brand taps not only into the rise of “bloke-core”, but that Guinness has “become popular enough that lots of very uncool people not only like Guinness, but think that said liking of Guinness makes them cool.”
Making moves: industry changes & innovation
ICYMI, even industry icons need to reinvigorate their brand presence through unique and creative ways. Here are some movers and shakers that you should know about:
- Brands who sell together, stay together: The Cotswold Company has teamed up with John Lewis to offer its homeware on the department store’s website. Having recently announced another partnership with Next, the move reinforces the increased importance of marketplaces, with 57% of UK retailers planning to boost third-party selling in the next year.
- The impact of Turkey teeth: Jetting abroad for surgery is becoming a growing challenge for airlines, which are faced with additional airborne emergencies, diversions – and, occasionally, a passenger death. The boom in medical tourism is partly driven by low-cost flights, as well as lower procedure costs, disposable income and social media. Airlines are increasingly asking passengers deemed to be at risk to provide a fit-to-fly certificate signed by practitioners.
- Sip, sip, hooray?: Mulled wine connoisseurs claim supermarkets have cut the alcohol content of the classic Christmas tipple by around 10% in the last two years. While an industry spokesperson said products are clearly labelled, counterarguments suggest that it’s important for people to know exactly what they’re buying, because alcoholic drinks don’t have to carry an ingredients list. The recipe changes are considered to be a classic example of ‘skimpflation’ where products cost around the same, but are lower in quality.
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