Britons prepare to spend on treats, fashion near top of list

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Aug 5, 2020

A new study shows that UK consumers are eager to start spending on non-essentials with £195 earmarked for treats they’ve been missing, equating to £9.3 billion across the country, an American Express study has shown.

And both fashion and beauty spending figure on the list, according to the survey of 2,005 adults conducted last month.

The top category people expected to be spending their money on as lockdowns eased was restaurant dining as they found themselves able to go out again after months when they were forced to stay at home.

But new clothes and accessories were in second place with an average spend of £25 (behind the £31 planned for eating out). Beauty treatments and/or a haircut came in seventh place with a £12 spend while cosmetics and perfume purchases were next at £11. 

None of the fashion and beauty buys are surprises given that going out and socialising were key to consumers’ plans with drinks at a pub or bar, café visits, theatre or cinema trips also important.

Some 49% of Britons said they’d longed to go out for professionally cooked meals during lockdown, while 36% admitted they really missed their trips to the hairdresser and regular hair treatments. That drove 19% to attempt their own haircuts at home.

And as for where they planned to spend their money, half of those who increased their online spending during lockdown planned to spend more on their local high street now that restrictions have eased.