The Goods UK: Labu-bye?
Welcome to The Goods UK! Hot on the heels of our Christmas Trading Snapshot, our weekly round-up of the latest and greatest trends across retail, travel and leisure is back!
Taking inspiration from the nostalgia that spread across our social feeds last month, we welcome our first edition of 2026 by looking 10 years into the past:
- 25p: The RRP of a Freddo in 2016. The chocolate bar now typically costs 35p but can be as much as £1 (The Telegraph).
- 500 million+: How many times Pokémon GO was downloaded within its first two months of launch in July 2016 (BBC).
- 88: The number of years BHS had been in business when it finally shut its doors on 28 August, 2016 (The Guardian).
This week, we’re also chatting toys, tumours and tiny plates.
What’s in: this week’s trends
- Labu-bye?: Move over Labubu – there’s a new collectible in town. Mystery clips and keychain charms took the coveted ‘must-have status symbol’ crown at last week’s Nuremberg Toy Fair, with industry experts highlighting their appeal to teens AND collectors (Metro). After three years of slump, the global toy industry bounced back in 2025, powered by ‘kidults’ who are rebranding toys as tools of taste, tribe and self-expression (Toy Association).
- Taxing attractions: Heading to the Eternal City this summer? Then don’t forget that extra €2 to get up close to the Trevi Fountain. Rome rolled out a new tariff system across its museums and monuments this week, as part of a broader push to monetise tourism more aggressively (The Independent). With retailers claiming the end to tax-free shopping cost the UK a whopping £1.3bn in lost tourist spending last year, the continued rise of tourist tolls is expected to create a cascade of consequences across various sectors in 2026 (Drapers).
- The frugal foodie: Grocery sales spiked last month, while inflation slimmed down to its lowest level since April 2025. According to Worldpanel, shoppers prioritised value-led choices and own-label products – a theme echoed throughout our Christmas Snapshot (Retail Week). And it looks like New Year’s resolutions tipped into our trolleys, with sales of fresh fruit, dried pulses, yogurt and cottage cheese rising sharply ( The Guardian). We wonder how long the good intentions will last?
Cash or card: shopper behaviour
What’s in and out of our baskets right now? This week, we take a deep dive into shifting tastes, trends and tensions expected to shape food culture in 2026:
- Cost-crunch kitchens: As Brits eat out less frequently, restaurateurs are wrestling with waning revenues and skyrocketing costs. To keep margins from melting away, many are trimming opening hours, slimming down menus and adopting “hyper-seasonal” ingredients (The Times). Some are even serving up “unusually steep discounts” to try and coax cautious diners back, with £5 burgers and 2-for-1 offers being described by analysts as a “last resort” (Financial Times).
- Bee-yond the peak: Hot honey and its “swicy” appeal might be buzzing out. With everyone from Jaffa Cakes to Walkers crisps joining the hive, some fear the trend has already led to a swarm of “fake honey” sneaking into products due to the “real” stuff being a high-cost raw ingredient (The Guardian). But don’t worry, “fricy” foods – items combining fruity and spicy tastes – are standing by ready to tickle your tastebuds. Sous Chef reports Mexican chamoy is up 64% in three months, while Japanese yuzu kosho has risen 28% (BBC).
- Soya long Veganuary: London’s vegan scene is wilting. The spinach-fuelled spirit of 2019 – hailed as “The Year of the Vegan” – has pea-tered out, with plant-powered patrons lamenting that supermarkets are chopping signature dishes, much-loved vegan restaurants are closing their doors and brands are rolling back once-robust commitments. The Vegan Society insists the UK’s vegan number remains stable; however commentators claim the cost-of-living crisis and a rise in right-wing populism mean the number of people taking up veganism for the first time has slowed to a gentle simmer (The Standard).
Making moves: industry changes & innovation
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