Making sense of the UK’s latest retail trends

Key future indicators on personal finances, economy and purchase intentions all sharply lower   September’s results put a halt to the steady improvements in consumer confidence that GfK had been recording since March this year. We saw a sharp fall of seven points in the headline figure, bringing it back close to the -19 recorded in January. GfK’s Neil Bellamy talks through the reasons for the falls in indicators on personal finances, the economy and purchase intentions. In our regular feature, Data Guru Corner, we analyse the results by age group and income level, highlighting a massive gap between the highest and lowest earners.    2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

The Overall Index improved by one point to -13 Anyone expecting a significant leap in confidence levels following July’s general election result and England’s football team reaching the Euro 2024 final will be disappointed by this month’s results. GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the topline and measure-level results, especially the positive uptick on the Major Purchase Index. In our regular Data Guru Corner, we look at the top concerns the new government will want to address – the NHS takes the number one slot, surpassing ’having enough money to live right and pay the bills’.   2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

These are the last results before the general election on July 4th GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the June 2024 results. For the third month running the Index has increased, this time by three points to -14, the highest level it has been since November 2021. With an election imminent, in Data Guru Corner we discuss if there has been any change in confidence scores by party allegiance since the election announcement.     2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>    

Consumer confidence, the use of credit since covid and the influence of sustainability on purchase behaviour In this episode of Thinking Ahead, Hannah Olley, a Senior Insights Manager in our UK Retail Market Intelligence team tackles three questions asked at our most recent breakfast event. Each is an important topic, from current levels of consumer confidence and the impact on spending patterns, to the changing face of credit and its users, to the growing importance of sustainability in Tech and Durables markets. Tune in for the latest intelligence.

In this episode of Thinking Ahead, GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the May 2024 results. These were in before the announcement of a July 4th General Election. The overall Index score rose two points to -17, driven by significant jumps in the outlook for our personal finances and general economic situation. With an election weeks away, Data Guru Corner focuses on how party allegiance impacts consumer sentiment. 2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

In this episode of Thinking Ahead, GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the April 2024 results of UK Consumer Confidence Index. The overall Index score rose two points to -19, an encouraging development. People’s view of their own personal finances in the next 12 months held steady and the other four measures that make up the Index increased by between two and four points. There is a lot of ground to make up to get us nearer to the 50 year index average of -10, but the measures are moving in the right direction for now. In Data Guru Corner we discuss regional data and analyses.   January 2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

GfK Consumer Life is returning to explore what consumers feel, think, need, and ultimately expect from brands today. Drawing on rich, industry-standard trends data, experts from GfK Consumer Life will look at what’s driving consumers, and what your brand can do to connect now and succeed in 2024.  In this episode, we'll talk about:  Technology saga – Leveraging our evolving relationship   Post Gen Z - Gearing up for Gen Alpha If you missed it, part one covered the fundamentals & sustainability! 

In this episode of Thinking Ahead, GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the March 2024 results. The overall Index score remained at -21 this month with no move from February. There was some positive news in the view of our personal finances in the next 12 months, which rose two points. However, the Major Purchase Index fell two points and the Savings Index declined by four points. The improvements in the overall Index seen most months last year have now vanished. Neil explains what these scores mean and the impact of the March 6th Budget on them. March’s Data Guru Corner focuses on sampling. Tune in!   January 2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

GfK Consumer Life is returning to explore what consumers feel, think, need, and ultimately expect from brands today. Drawing on rich, industry-standard trends data, experts from GfK Consumer Life will look at what’s driving consumers, and what your brand can do to connect now and succeed in 2024.  In this episode, we'll talk about:  Focusing on the fundamentals - Getting back to brand basics  The sustainability boost - The circular economy gains momentum  In part two, we'll talk all things tech & gen alpha! 

One-quarter of all UK mobile phones sales in 2023 were for second-hand or refurbished handsets  Explore the dynamic shift in consumer behaviour within the UK mobile phone market in 2023, where a significant 25% of all mobile phones purchased were either second-hand or refurbished, up from the 19% in 2021. Join Lizzie Bailey and Chris Purnell, experts from GfK UK, as they unravel the intriguing statistics that underpin this trend. In this episode of the Thinking Ahead podcast, we delve into the motivations behind the surge in used and refurbished phone acquisitions. Gain valuable insights into the demographics of those opting for pre-owned devices and discover the driving forces behind their choices. Is it solely influenced by price considerations, or are environmental concerns playing a role in shaping this shift? Tune in now to unravel the nuanced layers of this evolving consumer landscape. If you want to find out more, click here to read our press release.