Summer in the United Kingdom (UK) - 2021 report forms part of the publisher's Retail Occasions series, and offers a comprehensive insight into the consumer dynamics and spending habits of British consumers on summer items. The report analyses the market, the major players, the main trends, and consumer attitudes.
Easing of COVID-19 restrictions has benefitted leisure spend as large-scale social events recommenced and more consumers preferred undertaking activities out of the home. As the economy has begun to recover, consumers have also felt financially better off compared to last year.
Online summer spend decreased in 2021 as shoppers returned to physical locations, but purchasing instore has not returned to 2019-levels. Indeed, where shoppers have purchased online this year, those choosing click & collect rose significantly.
Tesco was the standout performer this summer as it showcased its summer of sport range both instore and online. Aldi also performed well, with it appealing to consumers entertaining more in their gardens this summer.
Easing of COVID-19 restrictions has benefitted leisure spend as large-scale social events recommenced and more consumers preferred undertaking activities out of the home. As the economy has begun to recover, consumers have also felt financially better off compared to last year.
Online summer spend decreased in 2021 as shoppers returned to physical locations, but purchasing instore has not returned to 2019-levels. Indeed, where shoppers have purchased online this year, those choosing click & collect rose significantly.
Tesco was the standout performer this summer as it showcased its summer of sport range both instore and online. Aldi also performed well, with it appealing to consumers entertaining more in their gardens this summer.
Key Highlights
- While summer shopper penetration declined by 6.6ppts to just over 50% in 2021, this was driven by a decrease in those spending on retail over the period. In comparison, summer leisure shopper penetration was up 6.1 ppts to 20% on last year as the UK eased COVID-19 restrictions.
- 23% of summer shoppers purchased seasonal food online this year, up on last year, this is indicative of the continued popularity of online in the food & grocery sector, and grocers must ensure they have a range of non-food seasonal items available on grocery websites to appeal to these online shoppers and increase average basket sizes through this channel.
- Tesco was the destination of choice for consumers this summer, with the grocer ranking first or second across all summer categories in 2021.
- Aldi also performed well this year, with consumers using the retailer for general summer purchasing up 5.0 ppts on 2021 to just over 10%. Its £40 pizza oven was a popular choice for customers, with it appealing to consumers entertaining more in their gardens this summer.
Reasons to Buy
- Use our in-depth consumer insight to learn s which summer product categories are shopped the most by consumers and to ensure that product offers are catering to the needs and wants of customers.
- Understand what drives consumers to use a retailer for their purchases, such as convenience, value for money and delivery options in order to maximise sales potential.
- Use our average spend data to understand how much consumers are paying in each summer category.
- Understand how COVID-19 has continued to impact summer spending and how consumers have adapted their spending habits over the summer months.
Table of Contents
- THE KEY FINDINGS
- The Key Findings
- Easing of COVID-19 restrictions benefits leisure spend as large-scale social events recommence
- Online summer spend decreases this year as shoppers return to physical locations in 2021
- Tesco the standout performer this summer amongst consumers
- Trend insight - stores
- Trend insight - online
- CONSUMER ATTITUDES
- Buying dynamics
- Financial wellbeing
- Summer spending
- Financial spending
- Summer activities
- Summer statements
- Retailer selection
- Retailer ratings - grocers
- Retailer ratings - non-food retailers
- Holidaying the UK
- International holidays
- Bank holiday activities
- SEASONAL FOOD AND DRINK
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Retailer used
- Retailers most used
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Spending
- HOLIDAY SHOPPING
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Average spend
- Retailer used
- Buying dynamics
- GENERAL SUMMER PURCHASING
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Average spend
- Retailer used
- Buying dynamics
- METHODOLOGY
- Technical details: consumer survey work
List of Tables
- Retailer ratings across key measures - grocers, 2021
- Retailer ratings across key measures - non-food retailers, 2021
- Bank holiday products purchased - food items, 2021
- Bank holiday products purchased - drink items, 2021
- Products purchased - BBQ food, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - desserts, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - non-alcoholic drinks, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - alcohol, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - beach & swim, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - beach & swim, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - holiday healthcare, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - holiday healthcare, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - holiday accessories, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - holiday accessories, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - camping & outdoors, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - camping & outdoors, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - luggage & travel accessories, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - luggage & travel accessories, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - entertainment, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - entertainment, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - clothing & accessories, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - clothing & accessories, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - summer clothing, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - summer clothing, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - outdoor & gardening products, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - outdoor & gardening products, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - picnic, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - picnic, 2020 & 2021
- Products purchased - items for events at home, 2020 & 2021
- Retailers used - items for events at home, 2020 & 2021
List of Figures
- Summer shopper penetration, by demographic & region, 2020 & 2021
- Summer retail shopper penetration, by demographic & region, 2020 & 2021
- Summer leisure shopper penetration, by demographic & region, 2020 & 2021
- Financial wellbeing compared to last year, 2020 & 2021
- How consumers financed summer spending, 2020 & 2021
- Summer spending compared to last year, 2020 & 2021
- Retail vs leisure split of spending, 2020 & 2021
- Summer activities undertaken, 2021
- Summer statements: agreement & disagreement, 2021
- Retailers that did the best job promoting deals for summer, 2021
- Holiday locations in the UK and UK holiday types 2021
- International holiday locations and international holiday types 2021
- Bank holiday shopper penetration, by demographic & region, 2021
- Bank holiday activities undertaken, 2021
- Bank holiday 2021 food penetration (and by demographic)
- Bank holiday 2021 drinks penetration (and by demographic)
- What's driving retailer selection (food & drink shopping) 2021, & ppt change on 2020
- Consumers using each channel for purchasing summer food & drink (browsed & purchased), 2021
- Consumers using each store type for purchasing summer food & drink (browsed & purchased), 2021
- Consumers using each device for purchasing summer food & drink (browsed & purchased), 2021
- Fulfilment options for summer food & drink purchases made online, 2020 & 2021
- Top 10 retailers shopped at for summer food & drink, 2020 & 2021
- Top 10 retailers most shopped at for summer food & drink, 2020 & 2021
- Summer food & drink - consumers switching from their usual main retailer, 2020 & 2021, and by demographic, 2021
- Summer food & drink - reasons for switching main retailer, 2021 & ppt change on 2020
- Summer food & non-alcoholic drink spend, 2021 & monetary change on 2020
- Summer alcoholic drink spend, 2021 & monetary change on 2020
- Summer food & drink 2021 penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 summer food & drink penetration
- Summer 2021 BBQ food penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 BBQ food penetration
- Summer 2021 salads penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 salads penetration
- Summer 2021 cooked meats penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 cooked meats penetration
- Summer 2021 snacks penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 snacks penetration
- Summer 2021 condiment & relishes penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 condiment & relishes penetration
- Summer 2021 fish & other seafood (and by demographic) & 2020 fish & other seafood penetration
- Summer 2021 desserts penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 desserts penetration
- Summer 2021 non-alcoholic penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 soft drinks penetration
- Summer 2021 alcohol penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 alcohol penetration
- Planned/impulse purchases (overall food & drink shopping), 2020 & 2021
- Planned/impulse purchases (food & drink categories), 2020 & 2021
- What's driving retailer selection (holiday shopping), 2021, & ppt change on 2020
- Consumers using each channel for holiday shopping (browsed & purchased), 2021
- Consumers using each store type for purchasing holiday shopping (browsed & purchased), 2021
- Consumers using each device for purchasing holiday shopping (browsed & purchased), 2021
- Fulfilment options for holiday shopping purchases made online, 2020 & 2021
- Average spend on holiday shopping, 2021 & value change on 2020
- Top 10 retailers shopped at for holiday shopping, 2020 & 2021
- Summer 2021 holiday shopping penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 holiday shopping penetration
- Summer 2021 beach & swim penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 beach & swim penetration
- Summer 2021 holiday healthcare penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 holiday healthcare penetration
- Summer 2021 holiday accessories penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 holiday accessories penetration
- Summer 2021 camping & outdoors penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 camping & outdoors penetration
- Summer 2021 luggage & travel accessories penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 luggage & travel accessories penetration
- Summer 2021 entertainment penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 entertainment penetration
- Summer 2021 clothing & accessories penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 clothing & accessories penetration
- Planned/impulse purchases (holiday shopping), 2020 & 2021
- Planned/impulse purchases (holiday shopping categories), 2020 & 2021
- What's driving retailer selection (general summer purchasing), 2021, & ppt change on 2020
- Consumers using each channel for purchasing general summer items (browsed & purchased), 2021
- Consumers using each store type for purchasing general summer items (browsed & purchased), 2021
- Consumers using each device for purchasing general summer items (browsed & purchased), 2021
- Fulfilment options for general summer purchases made online, 2020 & 2021
- Average spend on general summer products, 2021 & monetary value change on 2020
- Top 10 retailers shopped at for general summer purchases, 2020 & 2021
- Summer 2021 general summer purchases penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 general summer purchases penetration
- Summer 2021 summer clothing penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 summer clothing penetration
- Summer 2021 outdoor & gardening products penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 outdoor & gardening products penetration
- Summer 2021 picnic penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 picnic penetration
- Summer 2021 items for events at home penetration (and by demographic) & 2020 items for events at home penetration
- Planned/impulse purchases (general summer purchasing), 2020 & 2021
- Planned/impulse purchases (general summer purchasing categories), 2020 & 2021
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Amazon
- Tesco
- ASDA
- H&M
- Sainsbury's
- B&Q
- Marks & Spencer
- Argos
- Primark
- Lidl
- Aldi
- Boots
- Morrisons
- Waitrose & Partners
- Co-op
- John Lewis & Partners
- Poundland
- Superdrug
- Next
- Iceland
- TK Maxx
- B&M
- Wilko
- Matalan
- Go Outdoors
- WH Smith
- ASOS
- Home Bargains
- Waterstones
- Very
