What UK consumers want from brands in 2022

In our annual Consumer Trends Report we delve into data from 1,000 UK consumers to find out how they plan to consume, shop, socialise and more in the year ahead. 

Here we’ve highlighted some of the key findings from our report – for the complete lowdown, read our full 2022 UK Consumer Trends Report.

People want brands to make them laugh

After two years that many people would rather forget, it’s really no surprise that Brits are looking to brands that can give them a giggle. We found that 48.5% of people – more than any other sentiment – said they wanted brands to make them laugh and entertain them. This is a big jump, even in the last twelve months, as we found that only 5% of people wanted to be ‘amused’ by brands in our 2021 report.

And positivity is also right up there, with motivational and reassuring messages being tied in second place as the sentiment people want to see – 37% of respondents chose these.

Consumers want you to take a stand on climate change

Climate change continues to dominate the agenda for consumers. Our data shows that 42% want to see brands take a stand on the climate emergency. The other top issues on consumers’ minds are poverty and inequality (34%) and racism (31.5%). 

When so much of consumers’ choice of brands comes down to their stance on certain social issues, it’s vital that brands understand what resonates with their target market.  

Email is on the decline

UK consumers have perhaps received more communications from brands during the pandemic than they normally would – so has this affected their receptiveness? Comparing last year’s results to this year, we can see that there’s a reduction in the percentage of people happy to receive email marketing from brands once a week or more frequently (53% versus 59% in 2020). There’s also a small increase in the number of Brits who don’t want to hear from brands via email at all (14% versus 11%).

People are spending cautiously 

A sizeable 42% of Brits say they’re spending cautiously at the moment. This is compared with just 28% who say they’re spending freely. We’ve also found that putting cash aside for a rainy day is very popular – 86% say they save money every month. And it’s Gen Z (aged 18-25) that is saving more than any other generation – 31% told us they’re putting away more than £100 every month.

What are people saving money for? Our data reveals that 32% are saving for a holiday – an encouraging sign for travel brands after a devastating couple of years. And more time spent at home seems to be resulting in more money being saved for home improvements – 19.5% said they’re putting money aside for DIY projects. 

Expect a fitness boom in 2022

Looking ahead to what consumers are planning for the year ahead, we found that fitness and weight loss are top priorities. Forty-four percent of respondents said they’re trying to improve their fitness, and 40.5% are trying to lose weight.

These are the standout goals key consumer profiles are showing for 2022, way ahead of the next biggest priorities: 15% are planning to move home and 11% are looking after a new pet.

Whatever your brand is planning for 2022 and beyond, staying up-to-date with the latest consumer trends and conduction the correct consumer profiling research is crucial to giving your target market what they want, when they want it.