Optimistic at Home, Uneasy About the World: What our latest data reveals
This past Monday was “Blue Monday”. Aside from sounding like a New Order song, it is often cited as the most depressing day of the year. The good news is that we made it through unscathed. The less good news is that the weather does not appear to have improved much since.
With Blue Monday falling this week, it feels like a timely moment to check in on our Optimism tracking and look at how positive UK consumers were feeling as we closed out December.
A modest lift, but not a simple story
At a headline level, optimism edged up slightly compared to the previous wave. In December, 45% of UK consumers described themselves as optimistic, scoring between 8 and 10 out of 10. This is up from 43% in September 2025, suggesting that the festive period may have provided a short-term boost.
However, this top-line shift masks a more polarised picture. Alongside the increase at the optimistic end of the scale, there was also a small rise in those feeling particularly pessimistic. 11% rated their optimism between 1 and 3 out of 10, up from 10% in September.
In other words, there are slightly more people feeling positive, but also slightly more who feel very far from it.
Where optimism holds up and where it falls away
Alongside the overall optimism score, we ask consumers to rate their agreement with a series of statements covering different aspects of their lives. These include health, work, personal achievement, family and relationships, personal finances and views on the wider UK and global context. The statements are grounded in the verbatim consumers have shared in earlier waves when explaining why they feel optimistic or pessimistic.
This additional layer of data highlights a clear divide between the areas of life people feel good about and those that are weighing down sentiment.
Family and relationships remain the strongest source of positivity, with an average score of 7.6 out of 10. Health follows closely behind at 7.4. These areas are providing a sense of stability at a time when much feels uncertain.
Personal finances, however, continue to weigh heavily. This is the second lowest-rated area overall, with an average score of 6.5. The picture is even starker when it comes to perceptions of financial freedom. Consumers score their ability to afford the lifestyle they want at just 5.9 out of 10.
This reinforces what we continue to see across our wider work. Many consumers feel they are managing, but only just, and often by making difficult trade-offs.
How the wider context compares to personal optimism
If personal finances are a concern, views of the wider context are even more pessimistic. Sentiment towards the UK economic outlook sits at 4.9 out of 10, while views of the current global situation fall to 4.7, making these the lowest-scoring areas we track.
These scores underline how disconnected personal sources of positivity, such as family and health, are from how consumers feel about the broader environment they are living in.
So, what does this mean for brands?
Value matters more than ever, but empathy matters too
Cost of living pressures are still shaping behaviour. Consumers want to spend, but many feel constrained and are making conscious sacrifices. Brands need to offer options that work across different budgets and be clear about the value they deliver, not just the price point. Tone also matters. Messaging that acknowledges pressure, rather than glossing over it, is more likely to resonate.
Focus on what feels close and controllable
Family, relationships and health are where consumers feel most positive. Brands that can authentically connect to these areas, whether through how they communicate or how they design experiences and products, are more likely to tap into sources of genuine optimism.
Be cautious about referencing the ‘bigger picture’
The UK economy and global situation are clear sources of pessimism. Leaning too heavily into these themes risks reminding consumers of what they would rather not think about. For many brands, there is more downside than upside in anchoring messaging to the wider economic or geopolitical context.
A year for earning spend, not relying on it
While financial pressure is likely to keep consumers selective in 2026, this does not mean spending disappears altogether. Instead, it becomes more intentional. Hospitality, retail and leisure brands that make it easy for consumers to justify spend, through clear value, meaningful experiences and smart prioritisation, have the chance to win share from competitors who fail to adapt.
Looking ahead
As Blue Monday fades into the rear-view mirror, our latest data suggests UK consumers are entering the year with cautious optimism. Positivity remains rooted in personal life, while concerns about finances and the wider world continue to weigh on sentiment.
For brands, the challenge in 2026 will be less about chasing broad optimism and more about understanding where it genuinely exists and building around it.
If you’d like to explore how optimism, financial pressure and wider sentiment are shaping consumer behaviour in your sector, get in touch with us to find out more about our ongoing tracking and bespoke insight work.