Global shopping is increasing as a result of workers going back to work, and the UK is a global leader in encouraging people to resume their regular commutes, which is crucial for the retail industry’s survival. In its 2024 Shopper Preference Report, Bazaarvoice released new evidence supporting this claim.
The study examines how recent changes in the cost of living and the return to work have affected UK consumers’ buying habits. However, it also examined other topics, like opinions on owned labels, sustainability, and secondhand goods. More than 2,000 UK customers were surveyed as part of the study, which was carried out across many markets.
The UK is second behind Canada in terms of the percentage of its workforce that returns to work for a portion of the week—roughly 68 per cent of workers are back at their desks, and among them, 55 per cent link their return to work with higher spending at brick-and-mortar establishments.
Thus, even if recent foot traffic reports have presented some very dismal figures, physical retail appears to have a lot of potential.
Additional proof of this can be found in the study, where a large proportion of British respondents (35 per cent) claimed to spend more money in-store than they do online. This number barely surpasses the 34 per cent who claim to spend more money when they purchase online.
In order to determine the current state of mind in Britain about this matter, the study also examined other topics than views towards in-person purchasing. Furthermore, it was discovered that “the cost-of-living crisis takes precedence in purchasing decisions” despite the fact that sustainable consumption is becoming more and more important and that 77 per cent of Britons value firms’ commitment to sustainability.
The fact that 68 per cent of UK consumers purchase at least some of their clothing from fast-fashion companies provides more proof of this. Crucially, even though a growing number of consumers are adopting the secondhand habit, many Britons continue to be hesitant to purchase pre-owned goods.
According to Bazaarvoice, 35 per cent of consumers have never made a purchase from a secondhand platform like Vinted or Depop, a thrift store, a charity shop, or a marketplace.
However, the private label is becoming increasingly well-liked. 58 per cent of customers have bought private label products in the past six months; the most popular categories for those who did are fashion (49 per cent), food and beverages (60 per cent), and health and beauty (39 per cent). Lastly, 27 per cent of shoppers rely on their monthly purchases of products they see on social media (53 per cent of shoppers between the ages of 25 and 34). Furthermore, 65 per cent of consumers in the 18–44 age bracket prefer video content over static photographs (which is why 25 per cent of them) when it comes to product discovery. This means that 62 per cent of individuals in this age range have purchased a product after watching a video of it on social media.
