Business & Technology
UK consumers turn to real-world leisure over screens
Mastercard says British consumers are shifting leisure spending towards in-person experiences and away from digital activity. Its latest research found that many plan to rely less on screens and algorithms when deciding how to spend their free time.
The findings are based on a survey of 2,000 UK respondents, alongside wider European research covering 27,000 people across 28 countries. Two-thirds of UK consumers said they are prioritising in-person experiences this year to balance the time they spend online, while 60% prefer human recommendations over algorithmic suggestions when planning days out.
A separate spending measure from the Mastercard Economics Institute showed that experiences excluding travel accounted for 23.3% of UK consumer spending last year, up from 22.3% in 2024. That put experiences ahead of discretionary retail spending, which stood at 22.7%.
The data points to a broader shift in how consumers value leisure. Nine in 10 respondents said they were willing to spend less on goods if it meant taking part in more experiences, and 71% said lived experiences are now more important than ever.
Technology is among the categories people are prepared to cut back on. About 32% said they would spend less on technology and gadgets, while 26% would reduce spending on streaming services to free up money for leisure activities.
Human-led choices
The survey suggests many consumers want a break from digital mediation as artificial intelligence becomes more common in daily life. Some 69% of Britons said they plan to put human recommendations first and use algorithms less when making leisure plans, while 39% said they would not want to admit they had used AI to organise an event or experience.
There was also strong interest in activities designed to reduce digital engagement. More than half of respondents, 52%, said they expected to take part in more analogue experiences that encourage them to switch off, while 62% planned to attend digital detox or analogue escapism events where smartphones and connected devices are discouraged or banned.
Community also emerged as a strong theme. The research found that 62% were interested in what Mastercard described as communal coping events, ranging from repair cafes to group sessions built around emotional release. Another 61% said they preferred experiences that directly support local communities or businesses.
Travel and tourism ranked as the most popular summer experience category among UK respondents, cited by 78%. Food-related activities followed at 69%, then live events at 66%. Film-related experiences, heritage attractions, theatre, cultural events, wellness activities, family outings and outdoor experiences also ranked highly.
Preferences varied by age group. People aged over 65 were the most likely to say experiences create the best life memories, at 84%. Gen Z respondents were the most likely to seek front-row access to favourite events, while millennials showed the strongest interest in communal activities. Overall, consumers aged 35 to 44 showed the greatest appetite to try something new this year.
Nostalgia trend
The report also identified nostalgia as a notable force in the experience market. Half of UK respondents said they were seeking more nostalgia-based experiences, and 71% expected to take part in an activity that revives past cultural moments.
Mastercard and research partner Trend Hunter grouped the developments into six themes: analogue escapism, common ground, communal coping, conscious connection, halcyon days and indie everything. Examples ranged from vinyl listening bars and still-photography events to sleeper train journeys, themed supper clubs, second-hand fashion and niche community gatherings.
For smaller businesses, the shift could create a commercial opening. More than half of respondents said they would actively look to book activities through small and medium-sized businesses, while 54% associated those firms with higher-quality experiences. Another 57% said they would use local businesses more often if they offered experiences as gifts.
Consumers also appear willing to spend more in those settings. Some 68% said they spend more freely when out enjoying an experience, and 61% said they were happy to pay more for activities that benefit their local area or businesses.
Natalia Lechmanova, chief economist for Europe at the Mastercard Economics Institute, said: “We’re witnessing a significant shift across Europe as consumers reshape their priorities and the balance of their leisure time. Our findings point to something deeper than changing habits. As the pull of the digital world intensifies, they reflect a growing appetite for quality-over-quantity experiences, anchored in human connection.
“Whether it’s live events, cultural pursuits or activities discovered through a personal recommendation, people are leaning into moments that bring them together and leave a lasting impression.”
Trend Hunter said the shift should not be seen as a wholesale rejection of technology, but as an effort to draw firmer boundaries around leisure time.
Courtney Scharf, futurist at Trend Hunter, said: “The UK is embracing the human touch when it comes to experiences this summer, but this isn’t a rejection of technology. Consumers are adopting automation for the efficiency it brings to work and everyday life, while increasingly balancing this out by spending their leisure time in ways that feel distinctly human. The more pervasive AI becomes and the more of our lives we spend online, the more valuable those personal experiences are.
“AI can deliver great insights in a split second, but it cannot recreate the chemistry of people sharing a space, or the unpredictability of a live moment. People are filling their social time more intentionally – choosing live music over streaming, communal activities over solo scrolling, and deeper connections over quick catch-ups. 2026 will be remembered as the year consumers rediscovered what only the real world can offer.”
Jayden, 13 launched Jay’s Bakes from his home in Taunton Road in Bicester on Saturday, June 20.
His late nan, a keen baker herself, was the inspiration behind his passion, as well as time spent helping his uncle with his catering business.
Over the last 18 months he has honed his skills by preparing sweat treats every day after school.
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Determined to turn his hobby into something more, Jayden spent two and a half months researching requirements, gaining his Level 2 food hygiene certificate and officially registering his business, mostly without adult intervention.
After four days of preparation, the business officially launched.
Customers were treated to a wide selection of homemade goods, including M&M cookies, Kinder brownies, Biscoff cookies, Victoria sponge trays, lemon drizzle cups and viral ‘dot cakes’.
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His Kinder brownies proved particularly popular, and by the end of the day he had sold out of everything, taking £210.
Despite feeling “excited and a bit nervous” beforehand, Jayden said the opening was a success, with a strong turnout and positive feedback shared on social media.
His favourite moment came when he officially opened the shed by cutting the ribbon.
Supported by his mum, stepdad, grandparents and uncle, Jayden first began selling from a table in May before building and painting his now-signature blue cake shed.
He now plans to continue baking and selling regularly, bringing his creations to the local community.
Lidl has been given planning permission to build its ninth supermarket in Oxfordshire, despite concerns over flooding.
Aldi opened in Didcot in 2015 and has a supermarket at the Jubilee Way roundabout but shoppers in the town have had to wait over a decade for Lidl to follow.
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South Oxfordshire District Council has now backed plans by the German retailer for a new supermarket in Abingdon Road.
Former Didcot mayor Mocky Khan said: “This give the residents of Didcot more choice, especially when you consider the cost of living environment we have at the moment.
“The town is growing with more new homes being built, and with more growth it’s good to have a wide variety of supermarkets to fit all budgets,”
The plans for the new supermarket were first submitted in 2024.
Didcot Town Council previously objected to the scheme, on the grounds of a lack of flood risk mitigation measures, along with the county council who said there was “insufficient information”.
The town council noted there are “several flooding incidents in the area, especially when the Marsh Bridge water pumps fail”.
But in a report by planning officers granting permission to the supermarket, those issues have now been addressed by Lidl.
The officers said the proposals “largely accord” with the policies around planning, and more can be done to “break up” the car park with greenery.
Planning officers chose to let Lidl build the new supermarket subject to conditions.
They said in a report: “Balanced against this policy conflict is the fact that this is a previously developed site, which is currently in a dilapidated state.
“The proposals represent a significant improvement on the current underutilisation of the site and on its appearance.
“The National Planning Policy Framework and Local Plan set out significant support for the reuse of previously developed land.
“As stated in the applicant’s planning statement, there have been previous enquiries as to the redevelopment of the site that have not come to fruition.
“Given this, finding a viable use for the site is a clear benefit which I consider to be of substantial benefit.”
Thirty-four residents had objected to Lidl’s plans, highlighting concerns over extra traffic, there being no need for another supermarket in the town and there being more appropriate locations to build in their view.
Didcot already has an Aldi store just off Broadway and a Sainsbury’s, M&S Foodhall and Asda.
The nearest Lidl to the proposed site are in Lupton Road, Wallingford, and Marcham Road in Abingdon.
Three people wrote in to support the new Lidl, recognising the benefits of a discount food store and the further jobs it will create.
Lidl has said its proposals for a Didcot supermarket would deliver 40 full-time equivalent jobs as well as further employment during the construction phase.
No opening date was given by the retailer, while the developer is currently on site progressing with the enabling works.
A spokesman said: “We’ve seen demand for our affordable, high-quality products continue to rise in Oxfordshire, and we are committed to serving more communities in the area.
“Our new store will create around 40 new jobs and build on our continued growth.
“We’re excited to be a step closer to opening this store and thank everyone who has supported us on our journey so far.”
It also said the £12m investment would work with the 6,300 new homes allocated to be built, as per the local plan.
Dalcour Maclaren, a specialist in utilities and infrastructure, announced the news on June 22, following a detailed assessment of its operations, including governance, employee wellbeing, environmental impact, and social responsibility.
James Neil, CEO of Dalcour Maclaren, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Dalcour Maclaren.
“B Corp status gives us the official badge that recognises everything that matters most to us in our culture, our values, and how we make decisions for our people and our clients. We thrive on doing things differently at DM and B Corp absolutely endorses this.”
The certification means the company meets rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
Dalcour Maclaren now joins more than 10,000 B Corps worldwide and over 2,600 in the UK, including well-known names such as The Guardian, Innocent Drinks, Patagonia, and The Big Issue.
Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK, said: “Welcoming Dalcour Maclaren to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Its commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and will help spread the notion that success in business is as much about people and planet as it is profit.”
Dalcour Maclaren operates across the UK and Ireland, supporting major projects in energy, water, transport, and digital infrastructure. The company’s services include land, planning, environment, stakeholder engagement, and geospatial services.
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