Why the new normal is about shopping better, not shopping more

By EY

UK consumer values and desires have changed significantly during the pandemic, but affordability gaps still drive purchasing decisions.

In brief

  • Values and ideals have changed as a result of the pandemic, driving new purchasing patterns based on social and environmental factors.
  • It means that consumers are shopping with a heightened sense of awareness of such issues, but affordability is still key.
  • Significant say/do gaps remain with intended behaviours not always translating into actual behaviours.

Successful vaccination programmes and accelerated booster rollouts have given greater hope for a return to normal life, the eighth EY Future Consumer Index (FCI) reveals, with 69% of UK consumers looking forward to a feeling of normality. But ‘normal’ has changed, with consumers now acting with a heightened sense of awareness, not only of possible risks such as new variants but also the wider societal and environmental implications of what and how they buy.

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