United Kingdom

According to a survey by HTA (Horticultural Trades Association) in June 2020, 2.9 million new gardeners were visibly active in the UK after the initial major lockdown. By August 2021, 2.3 million of these new gardeners were still visibly active (up…

Volume and value sales of depilatories fell in 2021. This built on the reductions already seen in 2020 and aligned with the overarching trend from the years preceding 2020, in terms of declines in both value and volume sales across all three…

Vending in the UK was significantly disrupted by the global health crisis in 2020. As most vending machines are located in transportation hubs, shopping centres, workplace sites, or canteens, the mobility restrictions and stay-at-home message had a…

Hypermarkets remained the largest grocery retail channel in value terms in the UK at the end of the review period. Although historically reaching maturity, hypermarkets were positively impacted by the pandemic, which yielded increasing sales in both…

Sales of athletic apparel were already growing pre-pandemic as a result of the broader casualisation trend popularised by millennials, as well as the health and wellness trend, which led to an increased interest in fitness, and the growing streetwear…

Sales of jeans in the UK suffered significant double-digit retail volume and current value declines in 2020 and into the early part of 2021, as lockdowns and social distancing led to store closures and home confinement for many consumers due to the…

A slight rebound in volume sales was seen for hosiery in 2021, after a poor performance in 2020, when demand fell drastically due to store closures and the shock of the first confinement. However, sales of hosiery are set to return to volume decline…

Following a major decline during the first year of the pandemic, 2021 saw homewares record its strongest annual growth in retail sales value in a decade. Alongside increased value placed on the home by local consumers, a notable contributor to this…

2021 was a good year for premium fragrances, as consumers indulged once again after a difficult year in 2020. The 2021 shopping spree was also facilitated by the reopening of shops classified as non-essential, such as perfumeries and department…

The pandemic continued to impact sales of footwear in 2021. The lockdown at the start of the year continued to keep stores closed until April, and despite an increase in online sales, the footwear category, along with the overall apparel and footwear…

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to be felt in 2021, as the UK entered a third national lockdown in January. Restrictions eased gradually – in Britain, non-essential stores reopened in April; and in Northern Ireland, not until June. The…

Dishwashing is predicted to experience declines in both volume and value sales terms in 2021. This is an effect of reduced demand for much of the category following strong performances in 2020 as an impact of the lockdowns, which forced households to…

Greater awareness of hygiene as a consequence of the pandemic resulted in wearing face masks, as well as regular hand-washing and wiping down of surfaces. Whilst some consumers saw these as hygienic habits even before the pandemic, they have since…

In 2020, sales of womenswear declined strongly as a result of store closures, home confinement and lifestyle disruptions brought about by the virus, which prevented consumers from going out to work and socialise as they normally would have. Being…

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in more coffee being consumed at home, supporting the retail growth of coffee. Consumers developed new consumption and shopping habits in 2020, and many bought equipment to make their own coffee, such as coffee…

The pandemic continued to have an impact on retailing in the UK in 2021. At the beginning of the year, the government imposed a national lockdown which lasted from 6 January to 8 March. From 8 March onwards, the government followed a 4-step roadmap,…

Fruit/herbal tea performed particularly well during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and continued to help drive overall sales growth in tea in 2021. The category was already growing due to the health and wellness trend even before the outbreak of the…

Bleach is predicted to record marginal declines in both retail volume and current value sales in 2021 when compared to 2020 which saw a surge in demand due to heightened hygiene awareness as a result of the pandemic. The marginal declines are due to…

Volume sales of deodorants fell in 2021 when compared with 2020, which itself saw a decline compared with 2019. In fact, all deodorant categories declined yet again in volume terms in 2021. Little, if any, volume growth had been seen in the years…

The childrenswear category was less negatively affected by the pandemic than either menswear or womenswear in 2020. This was due to the necessity of buying children new clothing regularly as they grow. During the lockdowns, casual clothing, and…