The Goods UK: Happy Chinese New Year!
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What’s in: this week’s trends
- Forecast? Berry Stormy: We are brave to talk about the weather, but no one would deny it has been a wet start to 2026. It’s not just our footwear that is feeling the damp, but our imports too; storms over Spain resulted in 80% of its olive oil crop being destroyed, according to its farming union, and together with Morocco the bad weather has resulted in fewer fruit exports, such as strawberries (The Grocer). Back on home soil, the rain has left grazing fields waterlogged, trapping cattle indoors for longer “with insufficient hay to munch”. Similar weather disruptions occured in 2023 and experts are hinting that British shoppers may feel the squeeze of increased beef prices again in 2026 (Financial Times).
- No pictures allowed!: London restaurateur Jeremy King has spoken to the distraction that comes with Gen-Z’s social-media influencers utilising restaurants as studios for photoshoots with tripods, suitcases and blocked out laboratories firmly making an appearance amongst a busy service. It is not only Gen-Z he needs to be wary of; Gen Alpha – the cohort born from 2010 to 2024 – are seen as arguably more addicted to their phones, not knowing how to play or socialise without technology (Bloomberg). On the other hand, launching his documentary on Netflix this week, Gordon Ramsay has praised the power of influencers, hosting an influencer dinner at his restaurant Lucky Cat to help build the buzz (The Times).
- Luxury’s lunar moment: The Year of the Horse brings movement, independence and forward momentum and the same goes for the retail sector. Luxury brands celebrated Lunar New Year with traditional campaigns, such as Loewe’s collaboration with Shanghai’s Animation Film Studio (CNBC) and Burberry’s Year of the Horse collection which celebrates the craft and texture of Xuan paper. Together, these campaigns highlight how Lunar New Year continues to serve as a global touchpoint for luxury brands and cultural relevance (FashionNetwork).
Cash or card: shopper behaviour
What’s in and out of our baskets right now? This week, we explore Pancake Day’s protein-packed makeover, premium portion sizes and transatlantic travel trends.
- Healthy flip: Forget lemon and sugar, this Shrove Tuesday, protein-packed and high-fibre alternatives muscled their way into our pancakes with searches for spelt, ricotta and cottage cheese up 320%, 133%, 118% respectively (Waitrose). The trend signals a growing appetite for healthier twists on traditional treats and brands are taking note. In the last week – to coincide with Fibre February – PepsiCo unveiled the rebrand of its Sunbites crisps and Nestle Cereals introduced Raisin Wheats, with both products’ high-fibre credentials front and centre (Food Manufacturer, Food Navigator).
- Premium portions: While weight-loss drugs continue to push brands towards smaller portions, reformulated recipes and clearer labelling, the boss of Magnum Ice Cream insists the shift presents a “real opportunity” to dish up lower-calorie treats at a premium (The Standard). With research this week revealing middle class women make up the most users weight-loss jabs, the trend could also favour higher-end brands (The Times). Retail Economics’ Richard Lim agrees, predicting a shift in margins from “volume growth to value density” with premium food companies winning by “engineering for protein, quality and messaging” (LinkedIn).
- Stateside spending stalls: Europeans appear to be sending a clear message to the United States by “voting with their wallets”, as international arrivals to the country fell 5.4% in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to the US Travel Association. The slowdown is rippling through the tourism industry, with Disney warning of “international visitation headwinds” at its parks in Orlando and Los Angeles (The Times). Still, there are early signs of optimism. Air France-KLM says demand for travel to the US is gradually improving, while InterContinental Hotels Group is betting that this summer’s football World Cup hosted in the US will help reignite growth (Financial Times, Reuters).
Making moves: industry changes & innovation
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- Bakers not bartenders: A growing number of luxury hotels in the UK and internationally are opening premium bakeries rather than swanky new cocktail bars. The evidence suggests this is due to us drinking less and, in the next evolution of the “lipstick effect” more (particularly younger) consumers are cutting back on big ticket purchases and are instead sticking to splurging on so-called affordable – often buttery – luxuries to keep spirits high. Think viral almond croissants and sourdough loaves are worth queuing for? These sweat treats might be calorific but at least they come without economic guilt (Bloomberg).
- 2016 or 2026?: We are feeling nostalgic this week following the news that Topshop is finally making a return to bricks-and-mortar retailing after its collapse in 2020. As part of a wider effort to appeal to a younger demographic and invest in the in-store experience, John Lewis has rolled out the label across 32 of its shops (The Times). From high street to high rise, AI was a hot topic at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York this week where digital tools are emerging as core growth enablers, supporting faster innovation. ASOS illustrates this shift well. The retailer has launched the first phase of a “hybrid” virtual try-on in the UK and US, allowing shoppers to see how around 10,000 items might look by uploading a photo or selecting an AI model that resembles them. It shows that we still want to try before we buy – just without leaving the sofa (Fashion Network).
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