The relationship between UK shoppers and brands is not breaking down. In many ways, it remains intact. What is changing is the role brands play in everyday decision-making. The shift is not that brands have got weaker. What has changed is how competitive own-label has become. Consumers still value brands but rely on them less. 

Our latest research at The Harris Poll UK, based on a nationally representative sample of 1,000 grocery shoppers, shows that brand perception is still positive. 64% of consumers believe branded products are higher quality, 59% see them as more consistent, and 57% say they taste better. These are not weak numbers. But they are no longer decisive.

Loyalty has become a crowded and engineered element of retail. Most major retailers now offer some form of rewards ecosystem, yet many consumers remain underwhelmed, unconvinced, or simply disengaged. The assumption has often been that the answer lies in building richer programmes, adding more perks, or increasing personalisation. But our latest research at The Harris Poll UK suggests something different.

In fact, we are already seeing leading retailers move in this direction. The April 2026 relaunch of Sparks by Marks & Spencer is a timely example. The revamped proposition shifts toward ‘pounds, not points’, introduces a digital Sparks wallet, places greater emphasis on simpler monetary rewards, and aims to improve relevance and timeliness. Notably, the redesign appears to respond to several of the same themes our research surfaces: consumers want loyalty to feel simpler, more rewarding and easier to use. Whether Sparks succeeds remains to be seen, but strategically, it reinforces the broader shift underway.

Our data reveals a clear set of commercial principles for cutting through in today’s market, and they challenge some long-held assumptions about what drives loyalty success.

Whether it’s a family day out, a visit to a heritage site, or a spontaneous trip to a theme park, the British public increasingly turns to weather apps as their decision-making compass. For operators of outdoor attractions, these forecasts have become a critical, and sometimes frustrating, part of the visitor economy. Some attraction owners report that a single rain symbol can cost them up to £137,000 in a day, and our research supports the impact of rain in the forecast, with an increase from 20% to 40% for the chance of rain driving an incremental third of consumers to change their plans. 

Based on a nationally representative survey of 1,000 UK adults, our latest research highlights a clear behavioural shift: weather apps are not just influencing decisions, they are actively reshaping them. 

Brand experience has entered a new phase. What people think, feel and do with your product or services no longer stays between them and their immediate circle. It travels. 

Social platforms have turned everyday customer moments into public narratives, reshaping how brands are discovered, judged and recommended. At the same time, influence is fragmenting. Smaller creators, peer voices and dedicated communities are gaining ground over traditional brand-led communications. 

The implication is straightforward. Brands are no longer the sole authors of their story. The organisations that thrive will be those that design experiences, partnerships and spaces with participation in mind, not just promotion. 

As we enter the final quarter of 2025, the wet weather and darker nights are making the heady days of summer feel like a distant memory. But does the national mood mirror the gloomy skies, or are UK consumers holding onto some positivity as we head towards year-end? 

According to the latest wave of The Harris Poll UK’s Optimism Index, the answer is… a bit of both. 

As the UK faces yet another summer of heatwaves, brands must recognise that extreme heat is becoming a regular feature of UK life – and adapt quickly to this new climate reality. Beyond the physical discomfort, rising heat is reshaping how consumers shop, and what they’re saving money for. And according to new survey insights from The Harris Poll UK, a Stagwell Company, it’s clear the public want support and are expecting brands to step up.

It’s official: second-hand is having a first-rate moment and Gen Z is firmly in the driver’s seat.

In a world increasingly defined by economic pressure and environmental awareness, the meteoric rise of the pre-loved market shouldn’t surprise us. What is striking, however, is the scale and emotional pull of the movement. Our latest research finds that 65% of UK adults have purchased a pre-loved item in the past year, rising to an eye-opening 90% among 18–24s. That's nine in ten young adults actively reshaping the retail landscape.

As Marks and Spencer continue to suffer through one of the worst cases of cyber disruption in recent memory, all eyes are on their response and whether the fallout from the attack will continue to hit their bottom line in the long term. 

We wanted to see just how much of an effect a cyber-incident of this scale can have on an organisation, even one as established and reputable as M&S – and whether a brand’s reputation can actually help them to better survive an attack of this kind. 

Read the results of our snap polling below.