UK Fashion Spends Reshape as Secondhand Soars and Black Friday Fades

A recent and insightful study into Golden Quarter spending has revealed a significant "recalibration in UK fashion spend," alongside broader shifts in consumer behaviour. This analysis, conducted by digital commerce platform Cardlytics and incorporating data from over 23 million UK bank accounts and new research with Opinium, highlights the increasing prominence of secondhand fashion and a noticeable evolution in how shoppers approach events like Black Friday.

The report's findings paint a detailed picture of changing purchasing habits. While online fast fashion recorded a substantial 40.7% increase compared to 2022, its growth slowed considerably in 2024 to just 14.7%, suggesting a potential plateau. In contrast, high street fashion experienced modest growth of 3.6% last quarter. The luxury and designer fashion segment, however, saw a sharp decline of 18.7%, leaving it more than 11% below 2022 levels – a clear indicator of the luxury market downturn prevalent last year.

Perhaps one of the most striking trends is the mainstream embrace of secondhand fashion. An impressive 62% of consumers have either purchased or would consider buying pre-owned clothing, signifying a major shift towards resale. Looking ahead to Christmas, nearly one in five consumers (18%) intend to use secondhand or resale platforms for gifts, a stark contrast to the mere 8% who plan to buy luxury or designer presents, further underscoring the value-driven priorities of shoppers.

The traditional impact of single-day sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday is also waning. Cardlytics noted that only 11% of consumers primarily conduct their shopping on these specific days, as spend on the surrounding weekends has become "significantly higher." In 2024, for instance, spending on the Saturday following Black Friday rose by 27%, and the strongest single day of spend occurred a full week after Cyber Monday. Polling supports this, with only 11% making most purchases on Black Friday/Cyber Monday, while 47% plan to spread their spending across the entire promotional window, and nearly a third (30%) complete their festive shopping even before Black Friday commences.

Gifting habits are also undergoing a transformation, with consumers becoming more selective. Over half (53%) of shoppers now prioritize gifts that are personal or practical. Data indicates a concentration of spending on categories perceived as meaningful or useful, such as books, beauty, and DIY, all of which continued to grow during the Golden Quarter. Conversely, expenditure on electricals and other general big-ticket items has declined, reflecting a move away from less utility-driven purchases.

Looking to the future, Cardlytics anticipates that "the 2025 Golden Quarter will be defined by early action, tighter planning, and more selective spending." Lucy Whittemore, SVP UK Partnerships at Cardlytics, elaborated on this, stating, “We’ll see strong spending from consumers across the Golden Quarter, but it will be more considered, more distributed, and more value-driven than ever before. Shoppers are planning earlier, acting smarter, and backing brands that deliver on relevance, not just price." This shift necessitates that marketers move beyond relying on specific retail moments like Black Friday, instead focusing on sustaining customer engagement throughout the entire festive period.