Consumers are shifting their behaviour to buy “less but better”
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Consumer trends show that shoppers are heading into 2026 with less patience for mindless spending and a clearer sense of what feels like it’s “worth it.”
Overall card spend is softening, but categories tied to everyday joy and wellbeing are still growing as people protect small treats, even while cutting back elsewhere.
It’s not so much less demand as different demand.
Here are seven shifts that will shape what customers buy next year, and how retailers will need to show up to win them over.
Affordable Indulgences: The “Lipstick Effect” Get a Wellness Upgrade
The classic “lipstick effect” now looks more like a wellness aisle than a make-up counter.
Barclays’ Consumer Spend report finds that pharmacy, health, and beauty were 2025’s strongest-performing categories, up 9.5%, with shoppers spending £324 each on average, up from £291 the year before.
Many of those purchases are small, mood-boosting investments in skincare, supplements, and self-care rather than big-ticket luxury items.
The report also highlights a rise in male beauty spending. Almost one in five men cares more about beauty than they did ten years ago, and a quarter are adding skincare to their daily routine.
Nostalgia Shopping and the Rise of the “Kidult”
Comfort is also driving a wave of nostalgic, emotion-driven buying.
Charlotte Broadbent, UK general manager at Faire, says, “Kidults now account for up to a third of toy sales, as adults buy playful, comforting products for themselves.”
That appetite for fun is visible in everything from novelty mugs and candles to collectibles tied to reunion tours and anniversaries, giving independents a rich seam of “little treats” to mine.
Home as a Comfort Investment
After several years of cutting back and delaying big purchases, more shoppers are ready to invest in their immediate surroundings.
Barclays reports that furniture stores grew 4.3% in 2025, after declining the previous year, while garden centers were up 4.6%, helped by new homeowners looking for “pick-me-up” purchases to enhance home comfort.
Euromonitor’s “Comfort Zone” trend shows the same instinct worldwide, with consumers turning their homes into restorative sanctuaries, leading to them seeking products that deliver sensory comfort through textures, lighting, and scent.
AI as the New Personal Shopper
With the rise of AI, it’s no surprise that digital comfort is growing alongside physical comforts.
Barclays finds that over a third of consumers, and 70% of Gen Z, have used AI tools in the last year for budgeting, planning, and shopping.
However, Broadbent warns businesses to incorporate AI cautiously.
She notes that retailers will, of course, need to think beyond traditional SEO toward “AEO” (AI engine optimization) as more people ask chatbots what to buy and where to buy it. At the same time, however, she says, “Customers can instantly sense when something feels automated and [they] are being increasingly turned off by ‘AI slop.’”
That being said, retailers should pair innovative tools with a distinctly human tone.
Shopping That Engages the Senses
As e-commerce becomes more efficient, stores are competing on experience rather than assortment alone.
Broadbent points to research suggesting “a third of our memory of a brand experience comes from smell alone.” This has led to many independents rotating fragrances seasonally, curating playlists, and think more intentionally about textures and lighting.
Euromonitor expects more brands to design products and spaces that “intentionally engage the senses,” so that a visit feels like a brief escape as well as a transaction.
Consumers are no longer just shopping for products; they are also shopping for an experience.
Localism and Value-Driven Buying
Value is still non-negotiable, but shoppers are increasingly defining it in terms of origin and ethics as well as price.
Barclays reports that two-thirds of UK consumers worry about the rising cost of imports, while 71% say they would buy more items that were “Made in Britain” and one in eight would pay a premium for local products.
At the same time, 68% say they want to support UK businesses by buying more home-grown goods. This has supported food and drink specialist stores and local retailers grow 2.7% year-on-year.
Provenance and transparent supply chains are becoming as important as the promotion on the shelf.
Social Wellness Becomes the New Going Out
Finally, the way people socialize is also shifting along with spending.
Barclays finds that almost a third of adults have changed how they go out over the past year; among those aged 18–34, many now combine social catch-ups with exercise or events that support health and wellbeing. That shows up in everything from group fitness classes and wellness workshops to low- and no-alcohol meet-ups, while spending at bars, pubs, and clubs has slipped into a slight decline.
Euromonitor’s “Rewired Wellness” trend suggests consumers are seeking both quick “feel-good” moments, as well as longer-term health gains.
This is creating room for retailers and hospitality brands that can blend connection, enjoyment, and well-being.
What does this tell retailers?
Across all seven trends, the common theme is the need for less, but better.
Consumers are choosing to allocate their limited budgets into products, experiences, and technologies that make life feel calmer, more personal, and more aligned with their values.
Discounts still matter, but comfort, nostalgia, local impact, and the human touch behind increasingly intelligent technological tools are equally important.
For retailers, that means thinking less about pushing volume and more about how to connect with and reassure the customer that what they are offering represents excellent value.
This can be through smarter assortments, richer experiences, honest pricing, and clear stories about how products are made. The brands that manage that shift in consumer trends will find that even when wallets are under pressure, customers are still willing to invest in what feels genuinely right for them.