UK shoppers fork out almost 20% more on clothes than last year as socialising returns
As the cost of living crisis builds up UK shoppers are slashing their budgets in almost all areas. But there is a notable exception – the money spent on clothing is above pre-pandemic levels, the return of weddings, holidays and socialising fuelling a boom in “revenge spending” or buying those treats missed over months of pandemic lockdowns.
Shoppers are forking out almost a fifth more on clothing than last year, research from Kantar for the Guardian has found, taking the value 1% ahead of the 2019 figure.
The resilience of the demand for fashion, footwear and beauty products is defying expectations of a slowdown in non-essential spending, despite the squeeze on spare cash from rising energy bills, and food and transport costs.
Footwear was the fastest growing non-food category last month, according to British Retail Consortium data out this week, with clothing at number three behind health and beauty. By contrast, sales of almost all other non-food items fell, including those of toys, technology and homewares.
“People are valuing that bit of escapism,” said Andy Saxton, fashion insight director at Kantar. He suggested money was being saved on workwear, where spending was down by almost a quarter on pre-pandemic levels, and going instead on items with more flexible use, from T-shirts to dresses, that could be worn for social occasions and as more relaxed office attire.
The reopening of high streets, which has made it possible to try on more fitted clothes, such as jeans and bras, and to make shopping a more social occasion, has led tosoaring sales for the UK market leader Primark, which had no online shop during the lockdowns. Sales jumped 81% over the 12 weeks to 28 May and were 4% up on 2019 levels.
Marks & Spencer, the
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