UK trends 2026: what we are seeing now
09 July 2026An overview of our trends as we enter the second half of the year.
Now we are in June, the 2026 UK trends are starting to show up in clear and practical ways. With some unpredictable and unprecedented challenges already in 2026, shoppers and consumers are showing cautious behaviour, volumes remain hard to come by, and food prices continue to rise in retail and away from home.
The trends we identified for 2026 remain highly relevant. As the year has progressed, we have developed a strong bank of content across our platforms that demonstrates how these trends are already playing out across the market.
1. Affordable and accessible: value remains the foundation
The balance between value and convenience continues to play out, even as prices rise. Key reads for this trend:
World Cup: quick commerce initiatives deliver accessibility during late-night matches.
Food-to-go resilience: even as consumers are cautiously watching budgets, they opt for food-to-go when it’s convenient.
2. Enhanced experiences: giving shoppers a reason to trade up
Experiences are an important way to encourage trade-up. Shoppers and consumers may be cautious, but they will still spend more when an occasion, product or in-store experience feels worth it.
Key reads for this trend:
Winning with innovation: where shoppers are choosing innovation even in tough economic circumstances.
Retail media highlights: see how the latest in-store executions are elevating the shopping experience and driving demand, accelerating category growth, or creating impulse purchases.
Global Innovation in Away From Home: using tech to enhance the out of home experience.
3. Sustainability simplified: make the benefit tangible
Sustainability still matters; shoppers expect retailers and suppliers to work on their behalf behind the scenes.
Key reads for this trend:
Supply chain of the future: a futuristic view of how supply chains will transform beyond the next five years for retailers, manufacturers and logisticians.
Energy-efficient cold chains: how the wider industry needs to adapt to meet sustainability targets.
Global sustainability update: H1 2026: discover the best-in-class sustainability initiatives from retailers and suppliers in the UK and globally that align with our global trends.
4. Health as a lifestyle driver: clarity matters as interest grows
Health is becoming more embedded in everyday choices, from protein and fibre to low- and no-alcohol, healthy ageing, and weight management. The opportunity is to help shoppers make healthier choices without adding confusion.
Key reads for this trend:
GLP-1: our dedicated GLP-1 programme was created to help the industry get fit for the future of health
Segmenting health attitudes: a broader look at how the population is divided on their attitude towards health
Health on the menu: how health attitudes translate from in home to out of home
What this means for the rest of 2026
For the rest of 2026, these trends will continue to shape how shoppers and consumers make choices across retail and away from home. Value will remain the starting point, but it will not be enough on its own. Retailers and suppliers will need to show how they can deliver affordability alongside convenience, inspiration, health and sustainability in ways that feel simple and relevant.
The strongest opportunities will come from making these trends tangible: helping shoppers save time or money, giving them clear reasons to trade up, showing progress on sustainability without adding complexity, and making healthier choices easier to understand. As the market remains challenging, content that shows these trends in action will be important for helping businesses identify where shopper needs are shifting and how they can respond.
The reports highlighted in this article are only a few of the many that fit within each of our trends. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]