The Soulful Reboot: Why September is the real 'New Year' for consumers
January has long owned the cultural spotlight as the season of resolutions and resets. But our latest research reveals a quiet shift that brands shouldn’t underestimate. September, long linked to the return to school, is emerging as a second New Year on the UK calendar—a fresh start that extends far beyond students and parents.
In fact, for many, September feels more like the real start of the year. After summer holidays and looser routines, people return with sharpened focus, renewed organisation and clear intention. At The Harris Poll UK, a Stagwell Company, we’ve found that consumers treat the end of summer as more than a calendar page turn—it’s a mindset shift. Customers are re-engaging. They're motivated. And they're looking for brands that support them through this transition.
CX That Meets the Mindset of the Moment
We asked UK consumers how they feel as summer ends and September begins. The findings are noteworthy:
Two-thirds describe themselves as “refreshed and ready to reset,” “motivated to be productive,” or “focused on planning ahead.”
50% explicitly see September as a fresh start or reset moment.
Only 9% are weighed down by the “anxiety of returning to routine.”
Great customer experience is about meeting people in their moment. And in September, that moment is about structure, clarity and purposeful action.
From Intent to Action: A Productivity Surge
This mindset shift isn’t just emotional—it’s behavioural. Consumers anticipate September will be a month of deliberate action:
Personal reset
1 in 3 plan to kick-start a new fitness routine.
Many intend to declutter, reorganise or enrol in courses, workshops or memberships.
Financial reset
45% are focused on financial planning for the months ahead—including preparation for seasonal peaks such as Halloween, Diwali and Christmas.
Short-term spend is going toward productivity and wellness tools—from planners and apps to fitness gear and self-improvement resources.
Brands should remember customers aren’t just looking to buy—they’re looking to begin. Those who position products and services as enablers of progress (not just transactions) will win the opportunity to stay relevant.
Not Just for Parents: A Cross-Segment Opportunity
While parents with school-aged children feel the seasonal shift most acutely, our research shows it cuts across demographics:
Younger consumers and those in education feel the most disruption post-summer and are eager to establish routines.
Full-time professionals, particularly 25–34-year-olds, show the highest levels of motivation and planning.
Across all ages, people are reporting they revisit health, financial and personal development goals.
This isn’t just “back to school.” It’s “back to you.” Brands that treat September only as a family-marketing moment risk overlooking the much wider reset happening across society.
How Brands Can Flex for September
Relevance in CX and proposition design means recognising this unique mindset. September calls for:
Products and services that enable structure and clarity: bundles, upgrades or content tied to routines and goal setting.
Retail and digital experiences that feel fresh and energising: helping consumers feel momentum, not fatigue, while laying the foundations for the run-up to seasonal highlights such as Halloween, Diwali or Christmas.
Messaging with empathy: acknowledging the transition with a supportive tone, focusing on opportunity and promise rather than pressure.
Brands that frame September as a chance to support clarity, control and purpose will position themselves as allies in progress—not just vendors.
In Short: A Cultural Moment Waiting to Be Owned
Brands routinely invest heavily in January’s “New Year, New Me” campaigns. But September carries many of the same cues—but with better weather, more daylight hours and festive, exciting holidays just on the horizon. The opportunities for brands to capture this seasonal charm and embrace customers’ short-term goals can’t be overstated.
If your brand’s only seasonal pivots are summer leisure or January ambition, you’re missing a crucial inflection point where consumers are motivated, optimistic and actively spending.
While January is the official start of the year, September is its soulful reboot.
Smart brands will:
• Speak to the reset mindset.
• Provide tools, services and inspiration that support new or reinvigorated routines.
• Design CX and propositions that feel fresh, structured and purposeful.
Because in the UK, “back to school” isn’t just about uniforms anymore—it’s about mindset. And for brands, it’s a cultural moment waiting to be owned.
This isn’t the end of summer. It’s the start of something brighter.
The Harris Poll UK, A Stagwell Company, is a leading market research company that provides some of the UK’s best-loved brands with game-changing insights. We utilise a combination of proprietary software and advisory services to deliver data insights via custom service models. We help our clients make informed decisions based on our in-depth industry expertise and our continual exploration of evolving consumer needs and priorities. We know that when a company’s Business Strategy and Customer Strategy are one and the same, their brand and their employees are better placed to succeed.
We’ve applied our expertise in market research consultancy to look at these topics through the lens of consumer mindset, which we are tracking throughout the year.
Get in touch today to discover how our Customer Experience and Customer Closeness solutions can support your organisation.