The Goods UK – Suit yourself
Welcome back to The Goods UK! This week we’re chatting the resurgence of men’s tailoring, the booming organic food market and bidding wars for precious extra seats on flights.
Fun stats of the week
- 43%: The proportion of diners experiencing “bill-shock” at well-known high street pub, café and restaurant chains (The Telegraph)
- 100,000: The number of miles cut per week by Tesco’s AI optimisation of lorry routes (Retail Tech Innovation Hub)
- 54%: The amount of customers who don’t trust that their tips are being passed on to staff (Restaurant Online)
What’s in: this week’s trends
- Crowd favourites: Gen Z have found a new medium to build connection: concerts. Research has revealed that 48% of fans “strongly identify” with the fan communities of their favourite artists, with this figure increasing to 65% among Gen Z concertgoers. (The Independent) The recent rubber duck-exchange movement that has taken music festivals by storm is another way in which music lovers are building community. (CityAM) With live entertainment remaining an area that 46% of adults would prioritise spending on despite high costs of living – perhaps friendship is the real headliner?
- Butter’s on a roll: Dairy is having its moment, with high-end products taking centre stage. As British shoppers demand more affordable luxuries, spending on flavoured butters has risen by 24% in the past year, whilst searches for these products on Ocado have surged 184%. With flavours ranging from cinnamon bun to truffle and garlic, these butters take every day dishes to the next level without breaking the bank (The Guardian). Meanwhile “gooey cheese-pulls” and fancy cheese boards are also taking over social media, with nearly a quarter of shoppers having said they bought cheese after seeing it featured online. (Food Manufacture)
- Young people have been the push behind the contactless revolution, but new data suggests that older shoppers are increasingly opting to keep their cards away and phones out. The latest annual report from the banking body UK Finance finds that the number of 55- to 64-year-olds who make mobile payments with uptake among 55- to 64-year-olds more than doubling in a year, UK data shows, nearly two-thirds (59%) of 35 to 44-year-olds regularly made mobile payments in 2024,
- In its latest annual report on the UK payments market, the banking body UK Finance said almost a third of adults were living largely cashless lives in 2024 – prompting the cash machine network Link to warn: “We must not sleepwalk into a digital-only society before everyone is ready.”
Cash or card: shopper behaviour
What’s in and out of our baskets right now? This week, it’s all about wool, Wedgwood and increased prices on the waves.
- Suit yourself: Returning to the office means more than commuting. Men’s tailoring is back in demand, with office and formal fashion seeing a resurgence. Data from John Lewis shows sales of suits are up 68% year on year, and formal outerwear has seen a 584% increase as fashion-forward men splurge for occasions. M&S has also witnessed an 18% jump in suit sales over the past two years, suggesting city-slick wardrobes have made a major comeback post-pandemic (The Independent).
- Toned-down tipples: In an unexpected twist, it’s not just the “sober curious” Gen Z driving the rise of low and no-alcohol drinks. A University of Sheffield study found one third of adults tried them last year, with 96% of “no/lo” buyers also purchasing booze, and 74% of pubs now stocking options. (BBC) Meanwhile, Gen Z is redefining wine culture: they want lighter, ‘sessionable’, more fun bottles, swapping pretentiousness for authentic, social experiences. Together, both trends signal a cultural shift: less intoxication, more connection. (The Guardian)
- Growth? All organic: The UK organic market has surged to £3.7 billion, growing four times faster than conventional foods, even as shoppers watch their wallets. Health-conscious consumers are driving this boom, with three-quarters worrying about ultra-processed foods, while oats and other minimally processed staples soar in popularity. Demand for British-grown produce is also rising, as consumers increasingly prioritise sustainability and locally sourced food. (Food Manufacture)
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:
- Piquing your Pinterest: Abound with aspirational aesthetics and dreamy outfit combinations, Pinterest is a source of fashion inspiration for many Gen-Z shoppers, with 39% starting their outfit hunt on the platform. New Pinterest Top of Search visual ads will appear in the top 10 slots of Pinterest search results and Related Pins, where 45% of clicks occur. In a shift from inspiration to execution, users are more directly connected to relevant product links and advertiser catalogues. (Little Black Book)
- Not on my armrest: In a world where air travel seems to be getting more cramped, passengers are rarely given the opportunity for more room, yet Virgin is allowing passengers to bid for vacant adjoining seats after a 2023 survey revealed 42% of the airline’s guests would pay to stay neighbour-free on international flights longer than three hours. Available on Virgin Australia domestic and short-haul international flights, economy passengers can pay a £15 bidding fee prior to take-off. Time to pay-away those armrest hogs. (The Metro)
- On the mend: Sustainability is the thread weaving through the UK’s fashion market, and Primark is hopping on the trend with the launch of a new repair service in its Manchester Market Street store. In partnership with care and repair firm The Seam, shoppers can book same-day clothes repair through Eventbrite. (The Sun) In London, smaller brands like E.L.V. Denim are fuelling an upcycling boom and stitching pre-loved fabrics into new designs. (The Standard)
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
