Trends Briefing: The UK in 2026
Thursday 29th January 2026
0900-1000
The UK public have spent just 4 of the last 48 months feeling optimistic about the future.
What does 2026 have in store for us? Is it more bad news?
Maybe. Political uncertainty in the UK, another year of Trump in the White House, continued global conflict and stuttering global trade all loom large on the horizon. With all this in mind, it’s hardly surprising that our monthly Optimism Index sentiment barometer keeps returning solidly pessimistic readings. But pessimism isn’t the dominant theme, it’s polarisation.
Everywhere we look there’s evidence of widening polarisation in public behaviour, sentiment and spending.
There is no mood of the nation for 2026. Instead, there’s several different perspectives on where we are and where we’re going. In 15 years of measuring consumer sentiment and public opinion, we’ve never seen the public more divided in their experiences of the present or their expectations of the future. The moods of the nation, if you will. In this context, brands, campaigners, policymakers and strategists can have little certainty – or hope – about what the next 12 months mean for them.
Register here
Our next webinar will look ahead at all that 2026 has in store for us – from prospects for the economy and consumer spending, bitterly contested elections and domestic political machinations, massive steps forward in technology and the continued integration of AI – to provide a little more surety about what is coming down the line, where the faultlines between consumers lie, and how best to adjust.
To do so, we’ll explore our continually evolving online horizon scan and archive of consumer data to bring attendees comprehensive and evidence-based foresight on what to expect from the year ahead. As ever, our exploration will come not just with data, analysis and commentary but also implications for what this all means.
Register here to attend
Every month we host webinar looking in detail at a core trend, topic or issue. Although the briefing is free to attend, only our Now & Next members will have access to the presentation and data afterwards, alongside our library of macro trends, detailed reports and Optimism Index data. Click here to find out more about subscribing and request a demo.