Nurture Nation: UK consumers are investing their time thoughtfully in 2025 and seeking the joy of small savvy wins
At the start of 2025, UK consumers are focused on the creation of sustainable environments that allow them to thrive.
Contrary to the hype of new year resolutions, the first few months of the year aren’t about dramatic transformation or high-pressure attainment: it’s about prioritising nurturing and taking incremental steps towards stability. But how does this quest for ‘nurture’ translate to consumer behaviour - and what role can businesses play in meeting this need?
Maru’s latest measurement of Consumer Mindset reveals all.
The choice to stay home isn’t just about saving money
Two-thirds of respondents said they’ll be more inclined to stay in, rather than going out over the first few months of 2025. Unsurprisingly, the choice to save disposable income was frequently cited (81% told us they’re more likely to be focusing on saving rather than spending, and 40% hoped to reduce or eliminate some debt). But finances aren’t the only motivation; two thirds told us they’ll be prioritising taking time for themselves over the first few months of the year.
Home is where people feel most control over who they spend time with and how they focus their energy; it’s a place for ‘freedom’, ‘restoration’, and ‘nurture’. Meanwhile, there’s a second group who cite a desire to purposefully prioritise quality time with family and friends in the comfort of their own home at this time of year, and as such they were actively looking for offers associated with entertainment, games and food delivery to optimise that sociable time. We know Brits love to talk about the weather, and the respondents in this study didn't disappoint. Spontaneous references to the great British weather keeping people home were prevalent, with the construct of a seasonal ‘hibernation’ being a valuable mechanism for ‘nurture’ at this time of year.
A key component of ‘nurture’ is to create space for self-improvement
At the start of the year there’s a big focus on setting resolutions, adopting better habits, and prioritising health and well-being. Sure enough, respondents talked about exercising more (77%), watching what they eat (57%), and revisiting lapsed hobbies (63%).
But by far the most talked about area of self-improvement at the start of 2025 was upskilling: 1 in 3 respondents talked about working towards qualifications, focusing on career development, or simply learning new skills. People are taking ownership of nurturing their own capabilities and opportunities, and in doing so are giving themselves the best chance to make positive progress towards their goals. Related to this are the 28% who might consider looking for a new job in the coming months, striving to translate their self-improvement efforts into a tangible change in their circumstances.
There’s pride and satisfaction in doing the leg work to secure the best price on essentials
UK shoppers remain super savvy and are searching for deals that make their money go further; 62% say they’re more likely to seek new offers than to stick with their current choices. The offers they’re looking for align to their priorities for the start of the year – from researching cost-effective ways to activate new projects, to making their everyday budgets stretch further, and entertainment to support quality time with loved ones.
At the end of 2024, 66% incorrectly believed the UK to be in a recession, and as such don’t anticipate their finances improving anytime soon. Deal-seeking therefore becomes a way to make the best of things for themselves and their loved ones. Whilst searching for offers requires commitment of time and effort, the incentive is the ability to use the savings to support nurturing activities - over half of those we spoke to said they’ll be looking to treat themselves over the first few months of the year.
Consumers are saving on the everyday ready to (perhaps) splash out on realising big plans
Where possible, people are also nurturing their savings. They have some big purchases in mind – booking a holiday (53%), home improvements (52%), a refreshed wardrobe (43%) or a new car (28%) – but they aren’t necessarily in a big rush to actually spend the money.
Two thirds of respondents described themselves as ‘enjoying the present’ rather than ‘looking ahead’, with some citing that they’re not feeling sufficiently in control to make longer term plans or commit to large purchases yet. With the volatility we’re seeing across much of the world today – from severe weather events to political unrest - the need for heightened support and ‘nurture’ may be particularly acute in 2025. It will be interesting to see if people linger in this state as the year progresses and how their needs change. In the meantime, consumers are doing what they can to get the money ready but only envisage spending it if a stand-out deal or offer arises.
What does this mean for UK brands?
In essence, nurturing is about providing the right environment, resources, and care to help someone grow and thrive. There’s significant opportunity for brands to successfully connect with customers whilst they're seeking ‘nurture’.
Successfully connecting with the wellbeing mindset that consumers are currently displaying will benefit brands. Identify brand sweet-spots or leverage brand partnerships to help cultivate restoration time for those taking time out to reset at this time of year. Help those who find the company of loved ones most restorative to capitalise on quality social time with friends and family.
People are focusing on upskilling with a self-improvement mindset, so brands should capitalise on this appetite for knowledge. Consumers will respond positively to things that helps them to feel like they can improve on their present state with help from your brand. Consider video tutorials, user forums and communities, expert webinars, personalised content, gamification, and quizzes.
Consumers are in a thrift and temperance mindset, so brands should explore how they can help people achieve more for their money and behave more sustainably. Consider gamified challenges, savings calculators, budget planners, comparison guides and reward points for smart choices as tangible resources that empathise with consumers current challenges.
People have a cautious mindset when committing to big ticket items. While consumers wait to translate their savings into spending, brands should work hard to secure optimum chance of being considered when they are ready to book the holiday, buy the car, or invest in home improvements etc. Email marketing campaigns, wish-list creation tools, and early access previews to new products are just some of the ways this can be secured.
As diligent advocates for customer needs in a demanding world, Maru have spent the last 25 years combining expert market research consultancy with a comprehensive research toolkit to bring companies closer than ever to their customers. We’d love to show you how our Customer Experience and Customer Closeness market research solutions could help you to dial up the nurturing characteristics that consumers crave at this point in the year.