How Are UK Shopping Habits Changing In 2026?

The way UK consumers spend their money is completely changing and Adobe’s new research shows exactly this. Adobe Express asked 2,000 UK adults some questions, and one thing they found was that 29% of them are starting to use social media platforms more to make purchases. So social media platforms have gone from being just social scrolling apps to being their own storefronts.

Online shopping has also increased over the past year with 29% of consumers having increased their digital purchases. With that, 23% say they have visited independent retail stores a lot less. This goes hand in hand with the high street brands vanishing as shoppers want convenience and value for cash.

Second hand retail is also picking up again with 29% of the consumers saying they’re going to second hand stores more often than they did last year. Close to a third also report spending more time browsing online resale platforms. This, of course, is due to the overall cost of living pressures, as well as environmental awareness.

A total of 66% of respondents say Facebook is their go to platform. Discovery led shopping, powered by adverts and creators, has become the norm for many households.

What Actually Gets People To Buy Things?

The emergence of the digital world is not exactly an indication that traditional marketing does not work anymore. In fact, 33% say TV ads actually influence their purchases the most. This would put TV ahead of social media ads, as well as influencer marketing and AI recommendations.

Not many of the surveyed trust in AI: only 12% trust it to make the right product recommendations. Shoppers are cautious about automated suggestions and prefer more tangible experiences there.

Another really effective way that has captured 37% of the surveyed was with things like free samples. Shoppers wanting something tangible in that regard means that the real world and physical interactions still stand a chance after all. That is something an algorithm can’t give consumers.

Adobe’s findings clearly display how consumers respond when brands offer something they can see, touch or test, and that relying purely on digital persuasion isn’t necessarily the best strategy.

Does Gender Change The Way We Shop?

There is a very noticeable difference between men and women: in the past year, 30% of women say they shopped in physical stores more often, whereas only 17% of men have. So women are the ones who are more keen on bricks and mortar retail.

In social commerce, women are also more active with 33% having increased their use of social media for purchases compared to 25% of men. With the second hand trend, the numbers are at 32% compared to 25% of men.

With the ads we spoke about, men are the ones who are most persuaded by TV adverts at 35%. Women respond more to social media ads at 35%, and 43% say free samples influence them. Men show a stronger preference for fewer adverts overall, with 34% saying they would rather see less advertising.

Both groups show a similar drop of engagement with independent retailers: women at 24% and men at 23%.

Are Younger Generations Changing Behaviours?

A total of 40% of Gen Z consumers say they have never bought from a brick and mortar store, underlining how digital first their habits have become. Physical retail is not a default choice for many younger shoppers.

Millennials are also changing the game with 78% saying they have increased their use of social media shopping over the past year. A third have reduced how often they shop at independent stores.

Marketing influence tracks closely with age. Gen Z, at 39%, and Millennials, at 77%, are most influenced by social media advertising. Gen X and Baby Boomers respond more to TV adverts, reinforcing the need for brands to tailor campaigns by generation.

How Does Location Impact These Behaviours?

In London, 28% of them say they have never used a brick and mortar store. The capital shows the strongest appetite for social commerce, with 44% expressing interest in buying through social media platforms.

In Wales, its different because in store shopping has actually increased by 20% over the past year. In Eastern England, 30% of consumers say they have never used social commerce platforms at all.

The place where second hand leads is the Northwest of the UK. A total of 34% of shoppers there purchase from online second hand clothing sites which would make it the highest share of any UK area. Northern Ireland has the highest form of loyalty to local businesses, with 26% saying they are most likely to shop at an independent retailer.

All such interesting insights, and it shows something here: when deciding target audiences as a retailer, its so important to identify the exact demographics so as to understand the exact consumer behaviours. What may work in London may not work in Northern Ireland, for example.